Periphyton Accumulation Rates from Shark River Slough, Taylor Slough and Florida Bay, Everglades National Park (FCE LTER), South Florida, USA, January 2001 - ongoing

Periphyton accumulation rates were measured bimonthly at FCE LTER sites in Florida Bay and Shark Slough. Glass slides were used as artificial substrates for periphyton growth. Twenty slides were incubated for 2 months in triplicate periphytometers (flow-through plastic boxes) at the surface (SRS sites) and bottom (FB) at each site. Twelve artificial blades (made from transparency film) were incubated for 2 months in triplicate in specially constructed wire frames at the bottom at sites TS/PH 9, TS/PH 10 and TS/PH 11. Data are presented in terms of grams dry and ash-free dry mass per area per time. This is part of continuous data collection to test the hypothesis that phosphorus and nitrogen limit productivity at the upstream and downstream ends, respectively, of the FCE transects. Conclusions await longer-term data collection.

周丛生物（Periphyton）的积累速率于佛罗里达湾与鲨鱼沼泽的FCE LTER站点每两月测定一次。本研究以载玻片作为周丛生物生长的人工基质，将20片载玻片置于各站点表层（SRS站点）与底层（FB）的三组重复周丛生物培养器（periphytometer，流通式塑料箱）中培养2个月。另有12片由透明胶片制成的人工叶片，于TS/PH 9、TS/PH 10及TS/PH 11站点的底层环境中，置于三组重复的特制金属框架内培养2个月。实验数据以单位面积单位时间内的干重及无灰干重（ash-free dry mass）计量。本数据集为长期连续监测数据的一部分，旨在验证“磷与氮分别限制FCE样带上游与下游区域的生产力”这一科学假说。相关研究结论尚需依托更长期的监测数据方能得出。