Primary Production Determination in the South China Sea, Area II: Sabah, Sarawak and Brunei Darussalam Waters

Abstract

Primary production in the South China Sea, off Sabah, Sarawak and Brunei Darussalam was determined from in situ fluorescence, light intensity and the uptake of radioactive carbon incubation on the MV.SEAFDEC cruise in July-August, 1996. Depth integrated primary production varies between 0.13–0.88 gC/m²/day in the coastal zone and 0.23–0.89 gC/m²/day in the open sea. The magnitude was high along the north off Brunei Darussalam and Sabah and gradually decreased with depth. The elevated daily primary production was generally found at the sea surface mixed layer and subpycnocline chlorophyll maximum. The decreasing virtual light intensity was tending to restrict the vertical distribution in daily primary production with accompanied by the chlorophyll-a concentration.