The investigation of size-fractionated chlorophyll a and primary productivity were carried out in three longitudinal sections (63°-69°12'S, 70°30'E, 73°E and 75(30'E) at December 18-26, 1998 and January 12-18, 1999 in Prydz Bay and its north sea area, Antarctica. The results showed that surface chlorophyll a concentration were 0. 16 -3. 99 μg dm-3. The high values of chlorophyll a concentration (more than 3.5 μg dm -3) were in Prydz Bay and in the west Ladies Bank. The average chlorophyll a concentration at sub-surface layer was higher than that at surface layer; its concentration at the deeper layers of 50 m decreased with increasing depth and that at 200 m depth was only 0. 01 -0. 95μg dm -3. The results of size-fractionated chlorophyll a showed that the contribution of the netplanktion to total chlorophyll a was 56% , those of the nanoplankton and the picoplankton were 24% and 20% respectively in the surveyed area. The potential primary productivity at the euphotic zone in the surveyed area was 0. 11 - 11. 67 mgC m-3h-1 and average value was 2.00 ±2.80 mgC m h . The in-situ productivity in the bay and the continental shelf was higher and that in the deep-sea area was lower. The assimilation number of photosynthesis was 1.53±1. 11 mgC/(mg Chi a · h). The results of size-fractionated primary productivity show that the contribution of the netplanktion to total productivity was 58% , those of the nanoplankton and the picoplankton were 26% and 16% respectively. The cell abundance of phytoplankton was 1. 6 × 103 - 164. 8 × 103 cell dm-3 in the surface water.
The cell density, species composition and distribution of phytoplankton, and their relations to environmental factors in Prydz Bay and its adjacent sea area, Antarctica (69degrees-77degrees E, 62degrees-70degrees S) during the austral summer of 1998/1999 were investigated. A total of 48 taxa belonging to 21 genera of phytoplankton in the sea area were identified. The average cell density of phytoplankton was 22.46 x 10(3) cells/dm(3), of which diatoms were predominant (84.51%). The highest cell density of phytoplankton occurred in Prydz Bay and the adjacent continental shelf where the average cell density was 46.03 x 10(3) cells/dm(3). The lowest cell density (3.34 x 10(3) cells/dm(3)) occurred in deep sea area. The dominant species of phytoplankton was Fragilariopsis curta. The vertical distribution of phytoplankton density was highest in the upper part of 0-50 in depth, lower in 100 in and lowest in 150 in. The species composition and cell density of phytoplankton were influenced by water circulation. The cell density was positively correlated with water temperature and salinity, and negatively correlated with the concentration of nutrients.
