Direct observations of the mass flocculation of diatom blooms: characteristics, settling velocities and formation of diatom aggregates

Blooms of chain-forming marine diatoms were observed in the process of aggregating into centimeter-sized flocs of marine snow in surface waters of the Santa Barbara Channel, California. These aggregates were composed of a rich assemblage of living, actively photosynthesizing diatoms dominated by the setose genus Chaetoceros and by chain-forming Nitzschia spp. Flocculation of one bloom occurred in as little as 24 h, and bloom flocculation apparently was not triggered by nitrogen-limitation. Marine snow of diatom origin was also abundant during spring, summer and early autumn throughout the Southern California Bight, suggesting that diatom flocculation is a seasonally significant source of marine snow. Resting spores rarely occurred within either newly formed or aged diatom flocs. The mean in situ settling velocity (± S.D.) of newly formed flocs was 117 ± 56 m d−1, two orders of magnitude faster than unaggregated Chaetoceros. Rapid, episodic export of surface-derived primary production to the ocean bottom via mass flocculation and settlement of diatom blooms can occur prior to consumption by pelagic grazers and significantly effects marine food webs, oceanic flux processes, and diatom biology.