**Part 1**

**Oceanic Measurements of Bioluminescence** 

**1** 

David Lapota

*USA*

**Long Term Dinoflagellate** 

**Environmental Correlates in** 

*Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center, Pacific* 

**Bioluminescence, Chlorophyll, and Their** 

While many oceanographic studies have focused on the distribution of bioluminescence in the marine environment (Stukalin 1934, Tarasov 1956, Seliger et al. 1961, Clarke and Kelly 1965, Bityukov 1967, Lapota and Losee 1984, Swift et al. 1985, Lapota et al. 1988, Batchelder and Swift 1989, Lapota et al. 1989, Lapota and Rosenberger 1990, Neilson et al. 1995, Ondercin et al. 1995, Swift et al. 1995), little understanding of the seasonality and sources of planktonic bioluminescence in coastal waters and open ocean has emerged. Some previous studies with respect to annual cycles of bioluminescence were severely limited in duration as well as in the methods used to quantify bioluminescence (Bityukov 1967, Tett 1971). Only a few studies have measured bioluminescence on an extended basis, and these were short in duration, usually less than 2 years with long intervals between sets of measurements (Bityukov 1967, Yentsch and Laird 1968, Tett 1971). Others report data collected at different times of the year (Batchelder and Swift 1989, Batchelder et al. 1992, Buskey 1991) but do not address the seasonality of bioluminescence. Thus the detailed temporal variability of bioluminescence has never been characterized continuously over several years. Lack of such long-term studies leaves unanswered important questions regarding the role of

To adequately understand, model, and predict planktonic bioluminescence in any ocean, measurements must be conducted on a continual basis for at least several years in order to evaluate intra- and annual variability and long-term trends. In this study, bioluminescence was measured at two fixed stations on a daily long term basis: one in San Diego Bay (SDB) for 4 years (1992-1996) and the other for 2.5 years (1993-1996) at San Clemente Island (SCI), located 100 km off the California coast. Additional surface and at-depth bioluminescence data have been collected on a monthly and quarterly basis at both fixed stations and from a research vessel to provide a link between coastal and offshore waters. Additional factors such as seawater temperature, salinity, beam attenuation, and chlorophyll fluorescence were measured. Plankton collections were made weekly in SDB and monthly at SCI. This study provides unique correlated coastal and open ocean data collected on a long-term basis

**1. Introduction** 

(Figure 1).

bioluminescence in successional phenomena.

**Southern California Coastal Waters** 
