Seasonal phytoplankton dynamics in the coastal waters of the north-eastern Adriatic Sea

Godrijan, Jelena; Marić, Daniela; Tomažić, Igor; Precali, Robert; Pfannkuchen, Martin (2013) Seasonal phytoplankton dynamics in the coastal waters of the north-eastern Adriatic Sea. Journal of Sea Research, 77 . pp. 32-44. ISSN 1385-1101

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Abstract

This study describes the dynamics of phytoplankton in relation to environmental factors in coastal waters of the north-eastern Adriatic Sea. The distant Po River‟s influence is rarely noted on the eastern coastal part of the northern Adriatic, but it does trigger the crucial alternations in the community, e.g. mass development of diatoms in July 2009. A highly variable ecosystem, like the northern Adriatic, sustains high species diversity. Even though quite a few species were present for more than several months, we identified the seminal species of the seasonal succession. During spring Prorocentrum micans, Leptocylindrus minimus, Chaetoceros throndsenii, Ceratium furca and C. fusus were most characteristic. These species thrive in low salinity and mixed waters. Typical summer diatom species were Chaetoceros vixvisibilis, Proboscia alata, while Rhabdosphaera clavigera and Syracosphaera pulchra were identified as distinctive summer coccolithophorids. All the summer species preferred warmer waters with low nitrate and low silica content. The autumn community was characterised by species such as Calciosolenia murrayi, Chaetoceros socialis, Asterionellopsis glacialis, Lioloma pacificum. These species related to high nutrient conditions, but also to low Po River influence. In winter a prevalence of large diatoms Thalassiosira rotula, Neocalyptrella robusta and Pseudosolenia calcar-avis was recorded. The winter assemblage was characterised by species of cold water preference able to grow in well mixed conditions.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	coastal ecosystem; northern Adriatic Sea; phytoplankton succession; seasonal dynamics
Subjects:	NATURAL SCIENCES > Interdisciplinary Natural Sciences NATURAL SCIENCES > Interdisciplinary Natural Sciences > Marine Science
Divisions:	Center for Marine Research
Projects:	Project title Project leader Project code Project type Matematičko modeliranje cirkulacije i satelitska detekcija graničnih procesa [25022] Milivoj Kuzmić 098-0982705-2707 MZOS Mehanizam dugoročnih promjena u ekosustavu sjevernog Jadrana [38614] Robert Precali 098-0982705-2731 MZOS
Depositing User:	Jelena Godrijan
Date Deposited:	30 Jan 2014 10:15
URI:	http://fulir.irb.hr/id/eprint/1300
DOI:	10.1016/j.seares.2012.09.009

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