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The seasonal dynamics of cell density and photosynthetic pigment contents of the zooxanthellae hosted by Montastrea cavernosa were investigated on coastal reefs off Picãozinho (06º42'05"/07º07'30"S and 34º48'37"/34º50'00" W), Northeast Brazil between September 1999 and 2000. A distinct pattern of these parameters was found: cell numbers were greater during the rainy season (autumn/winter) while photosynthetic pigments were greater during the dry season (summer). Both parameters showed drastic reductions during heavy rains (June and July 1999). We speculate that this pattern is largely influenced by the rain cycles which, owing to their magnitude and frequency, affect the water clarity and the seasonal physiological condition of the cells.A dinâmica sazonal na densidade de células e na concentração de pigmentos fotossintetizantes das zooxantelas de Montastrea cavernosa foram analisados no período setembro/1999 a setembro/2000 nos Recifes do Picãozinho (06º42'05"/07º07'30" S e 34º48'37"/34º50'00" W), Nordeste do Brasil. Verificou-se que existe um padrão distinto entre estes parâmetros, com maior quantidade de células no período chuvoso e maior concentração de pigmentos fotossintetizantes na época de estiagem. Ambos os parâmetros apresentaram, no entanto, uma nítida redução em seus valores nos meses de maiores índices pluviométricos (junho e julho /1999). Especulamos que tal fato deve estar relacionado com o regime de chuvas que pode variar em magnitude e freqüência, afetando a qualidade ótica da água e o estado fisiológico das células.

This paper reports the results obtained from studies on the estuarine phytoplankton of the Paraíba do Norte River in northeastern Brazil. Surface and near-bottom samples were taken at four stations numbered seawards, during high and low tides from September 1978 to September 1979. A total of 139 phytoplankters were encountered. Diatoms and dinoflagellates showed highest diversity in most saline areas. Typical freshwater organisms were restricted to stations I and II where salinity was more reduced. Maximum cell densities were: 11,256,000 cells/1, 4,380,000 cells/1, 1,276,000 cells/1 and 1,035,000 cells/1, for stations I, II, III and IV, respectively. Sewage enrichments were probably responsible for the greatest values of the first two stations. However, in these stations the turbidity reduces light penetration, limiting phytoplankton growth particularly during the rainy season. The phytoflagellates (maximum of up to 4,874,000 cells/1) and the diatoms Thalassiosira spp (maximum of up to 9,262,000 cells/1) were dominant during the annual cycle. Other important taxa were Navicula spp, Cylindrotheca closterium, Paralia sulcata, Thalassionema nitzschioides and the dinoflagellate Protoperidinium spp. Seasonal variations of phytoplankton densities, dissolved oxygen, phosphate, water transparency, temperature, salinity and suspended material are also presented.

Seven species of hyaline Tintinnina were obtained from plankton samples collected near the coastal reefs of Ponta do Seixas (Lat. 7º09'16"S, Long. 34º4735"W), Northeastern Brazil, from April 1981 to May 1982 and from April 1983 to May 1984: Amphorellopsis acuta (Schmidt, 1901), Dadayiella ganymedes (Entz Sr., 1884), Epiplocyloides reticulata (Ostenfeld & Schmidt, 1901), Eutintinnus tubulosus (Ostenfeld, 1899), Favella ehrenbergi (Claparède & Lachmann, 1858), Metacylis mereschkowskyi Kofoid & Campbell, 1929 and M. perspicax (Hada, 1938). The most frequent and abundant species were M. mereschkowskyi and F. ehrenbergi. Except/).ganymedes, E. reticulata and F. ehrenbergi all species are new records from Brazil. Metacylis perspicax is also the seventh world register. For all species we provide description, drawings, measurements, seasonal occurrence, world distribution and some systematic comments.

Estudos sobre a variação sazonal do fitoplâncton e clorofila-a foram desenvolvidos na região de Ubatuba, extremo norte do Estado de São Paulo (Lat. 23º30'S, Long. 45º07'W), através de coletas mensais, durante o período de junho de 1974 a setembro de 1975. Foram também avaliados a temperatura da água, salinidade, oxigênio dissolvido e transparência. Paralelamente, foram obtidos dados pluviométricos da região, referentes ao período considerado. As amostras destinadas aos referidos estudos foram coletadas verticalmente, em três níveis de profundidade: superfície, profundidade de extinção do disco de Secchi e 60 centímetros acima do fundo. Qualitativamente, as diatomáceas apresentaram-se como o grupo mais diversificado e, em segundo lugar, os dinoflagelados. Quantitativamente, a população fitoplanctônica apresentou-se constituída fundamentalmente por fitoflagelados, seguidos por diatomáceas e dinoflagelados. Cianofíceas e silicoflagelados também estiveram presentes, porém em quantidades muito menores. Excluindo-se os fitoflagelados, as espécies mais representativas da população fitoplanctônica da região foram as diatomáceas Nitzchia closterium, Thalassionema nitzschioides, Navicula sp. e o dinoflagelado Gymnodinium sp. O número máximo de células observado, de um modo geral, ocorreu durante o verão, evidenciado tanto pelas contagens (máximo de 1.028.000 células/litro), como pelas determinações de clorofila-a (máximo de 6,86 µg/1); nesta época, houve um máximo de precipitação pluviométrica e modificação na estabilidade térmica da coluna d'água. Os estudos de fracionamento demonstraram que a fração menor que 20 µm (nanofitoplâncton) é a predominante no fitoplâncton total.Seasonal changes in phytoplankton populations in the chlorophyll-a concentration and on some environmental factors were studied monthly from June 1974 to September 1975 at Ubatuba, northern coast of São Paulo. Water temperatures ranged from 20ºC in August to 29.5ºC in March and salinities from 33.06 º/.. in March to 35.80 º/.. in January. The maximum salinity value observed in January near the bottom, associated with the thermal stratification found only during this month, seems to indicate an oceanic contribution to the enrichment of the local water mass. Pluviometric values ranged from 37.2 mm in August to 468.5 mm in January. Phytoplankton cell counts fluctuated from 64,000 to 1,028,000 cells/l and chlorophyll-a values varied from 0.52 to 6.86 µg/l. Maximum standing-stock was observed during summer, particularly in March, and it is probably associated with land drainage due to precipitation. A second bloom was observed in September 1975, and it is associated probably with the discontinuous impact of the wind. The phytoplankton populations were dominated by unidentified phytoflagellates, followed by diatoms and dinoflagellates. Nitzchia closterium and Thalassionema nitzschioides, along with Navicula sp., were the most representative species of diatoms. Among the dinoflagellates, Gymnodinium sp. was the most important. Blue-green algae and silicoflagellates were poorly represented. The diatoms Chaetoceros simplex, Chaetoceros spp, Nitzchia longissima, Nitzchia spp, Rhizosolenia delicatula and Rhizosolenia stolterfothi were found with high densities, only during bloom periods. The chlorophyll-a fractionation experiments demonstrated that organisms in size classe smaller than 20 µm represented, for all depths, between 54.93 and 98.15 º/.. of the total phytoplankton population.