The present study aimed to evaluate the seasonal variation of microphytobenthic biomass and its primary production in the intertidal zone in Santos Estuary (São Paulo, Brazil). This estuary is on the tropical region and it is regarded as a polluted area. The samples were collected at 3 sites, and environmental parameters, nutrients and heavy metals were analyzed. The primary production was evaluated according to GRφNTVED (1960) method whereas chlorophyll a and phaeopigment a were estimated by TETT et al. (1975) method. Total nitrogen K ranged from 20.0 to 115.0 µg·g-1 while total phosphate ranged from 26.0 to 223.0 µg·g-1. No significant seasonal variation of benthic primary production or chlorophyll a and phaeopigment a were observed. Significant positive correlation was found for microbenthic primary production and chlorophyll a. Primary production showed lower correlations whit nitrate, total nitrogen K, total phosphate and organic matter in the sediment. The values of phaeopigment a were higher than chlorophyll a. The means for chlorophyll a were 10.4 µg·m-2 , 14.9 µg·m-2, 28.6 µg·m-2, 39.7 µg·m-2 and 26.7 µg·m-2. The mean values for primary production were 40.7 mgC·m-2.h-1 (summer); 51.3 mgC·m-2·h-1 (autumn); 84.3 mgC·m-2·h-1 (winter); 140.0 mgC·m-2·h-1 (spring) and 60.8 mgC·m-2·h-1 (summer).
biomass; primary production; microphytobenthic; intertidal; pollutants; biomassa; produção primária; microfitobentos; entremarés; poluentes
