Phytoplankton primary production during the cold and warm seasons in Manzanillo and Santiago Bays, Mexico

The objective of the present study was to determine the variability in phytoplankton primary production (PP) and chlorophyll concentration between the cold and warm season in Manzanillo and Santiago Bays, Mexico, in the 2004, 2007–2008, and 2009. The mean temperature measured in situ, presented temporal variability between seasons, months, and years (p 0.05. These changes as a result of the seasonality and the ENSO events. High temperatures were associated with positive MEI (El Niño) values, while lower temperatures were due to La Niña and seasonal changes. Surface chlorophyll (Chl-in situ) and integrated (Chlint) were 5.4 times and 57.4% higher in the cold season, respectively, which presented statistical differences over time (seasonality, months and years, p