Characteristics of Mixed Layer Depth and Its Effect on Concentration of Chlorophyll-a

Badung Strait characteristics is largely influenced by the ARLINDO (Indonesian Throughflow) current activity. The mixing of water masses due to the vertical movement of water masses, homogenized some range of layer (Mixed Layer Depth), whereas the value of temperature, salinity and density were about on the same range. The study was conducted to determine the characteristics of MLD and its influence on the concentration of chlorophyll-a of Badung Strait, Bali. Chlorophyll-a content was measured by using spectrophotometry method. The results showed that temperature and salinity as the MLD parameters, formed homogeneous layer (MLD) at varying depths. Distribution of MLD at depth of 12-23 m, indicating that chlorophyll-a consentration tends to be higher on the surface than at depth. In conditions at depth of 12-60 m, showed that chlorophyll-a higher on the depth, where a lot of MLD formed on the layer. However, in some stations showed that although there were quite a lot of homogeneous layer, chlorophyll-a consentration was higher on the surface than in the depth.