Millport Northwest North Sea Latitude:   55.7493     Longitude:   -4.9055 Associated Investigators: Eileen Bresnan   Related Web Sites: [Marine Scotland - Keppel Pier (Millport) Monitoring site]   [Marine Scotland - All Monitoring Sites]   Related Time Series: [ Stonehaven (Zoo+Phy) ]   [ Scapa Bay (Phy, Orkney) ]   [ Scalloway (Phy, Shetland Isles) ]   [ Loch Ewe (Zoo+Phy) ]   [ Loch Maddy (Phy, Western Isles) ]   [ Millport (Phy) ]   Millport (Site 39, 55 44.97'N 4 54.33'W) has been participating in the Marine Scotland Science Coastal Ecosystem monitoring programme since 2005. Samples are collected by the University Marine Biological Station Millport ( http://www.gla.ac.uk/centres/marinestation/index.php) and their input to the success of this programme is gratefully acknowledged. Temperature is measured using a minilogger at Keppel Pier. An integrated tube sampler is used to collect samples for phytoplankton community analysis at Fairlie Channel. The sampling site is approximately 35 m deep. Phytoplankton samples are preserved in Lugol s iodine and analysed using the Utermohl method (Utermohl, 1958). Seasonal and interannual trends Temperature demonstrates a distinct seasonality, with lowest temperatures in March and warmest in August. The phytoplankton time-series at this site is relatively short. A strong phytoplankton spring bloom, dominated by Skeletonema, can be observed at this site. Dinoflagellates become more abundant during summer, and large thecate Dinoflagellates, such as Dinophysis and Ceratium, are observed at higher cell densities at this site than at other sites in the programme. Blooms of Karenia Mikimotoi can be observed during some years. An increase in Diatom cell densities during autumn is not observed at this site. Further information as well as data collected at this site can be found at the Marine Scotland website ( http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/marine/science/MSInteractive/Themes/Coastal).