Phytoplankton size-based dynamics in the Aegean Sea (Eastern Mediterranean)

Ignatiades, Lydia; Psarra, Stella; Zervakis, Vassilis; Pagou, Κalliopi; Souvermezoglou, Ekaterini; Assimakopoulou, Georgia; Gotsis‐Skretas, Olympia

doi:10.1016/s0924-7963(02)00132-x

Cited by 147 publications

(96 citation statements)

References 71 publications

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“…The oligotrophic nature results in a high water clarity, low values of chlorophyll a (Chl a), low rates of primary production (Berman et al, 1984;Azov, 1986;Li et al, 1993;Yacobi et al, 1995;Psarra et al, 2000;Tanaka et al, 2007), and dominance by small-sized phytoplankton (Li et al, 1993;Yacobi et al, 1995;Ignatiades et al, 2002). The Levantine basin, located in the easternmost section of the Mediterranean, is the most oligotrophic region within the Mediterranean Sea.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Seasonal dynamics of the endosymbiotic, nitrogen-fixing cyanobacterium Richelia intracellularis in the eastern Mediterranean Sea

et al. 2008

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Biological nitrogen fixation has been suggested as an important source of nitrogen for the ultraoligotrophic waters of the Levantine Basin of the Mediterranean Sea. In this study, we identify and characterize the spatial and temporal distribution of the N-fixing (diazotrophic) cyanobacterium Richelia intracellularis. R. intracellularis is usually found as an endosymbiont within diatoms such as Rhizosolenia spp and Hemiaulus spp. and is an important diazotroph in marine tropical oceans. In this study, two stations off the Mediterranean coast of Israel were sampled monthly during 2005-2007. R. intracellularis was identified by microscopy and by reverse transcribed-PCR which confirmed a 98.8% identity with known nifH sequences of R. intracellularis from around the world. The diatom-diazotroph associations were found throughout the year peaking during autumn (October-November) at both stations. Abundance of R. intracellularis ranged from 10 to 55 heterocysts l À1 and correlated positively with the dissolved Si(OH) 4 /(NO 3 þ NO 2 ) ratio in surface waters. Although the rates of nitrogen fixation were very low, averaging B1.1 nmol N l À1 day À1 for the R. intracellularis size fraction (410 lm) from surface waters, they correlated positively with heterocyst counts during thermal stratification. The lack of large-scale diatom-diazotroph blooms and the low rates of nitrogen fixation by these diazotrophs may result from the P-starved conditions affecting the Levantine basin.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Seasonal dynamics of the endosymbiotic, nitrogen-fixing cyanobacterium Richelia intracellularis in the eastern Mediterranean Sea

et al. 2008

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“…Several studies on the temporal variations in biomass, primary production and species composition of phytoplankton communities have been carried out in the Southern Aegean (Becacos-Kontos, 1977;Ignatiades, 1976;Ignatiades et al, 1995;GotsisSkretas et al, 1996;Psarra et al, 2000). The results demonstrate the extremely oligotrophic status of waters (Ignatiades et al, 2002;Ignatiades, 2005).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…The Aegean Sea is one of the Eastern Mediterranean basins displaying a complicated hydrographic and ecological structure due to its geographical position between the Black Sea and the Ionian and Levantine Seas (Siokou-Frangou et al, 2002;Zervakis et al, 2000). The Aegean Sea is separated by the Cyclades plateau into two subbasins, the North Aegean and the South Aegean, with significantly different hydrographic characteristics due to the influence of Black Sea waters and Levantine Sea waters, respectively (Ignatiades et al, 2002). Several studies on the temporal variations in biomass, primary production and species composition of phytoplankton communities have been carried out in the Southern Aegean (Becacos-Kontos, 1977;Ignatiades, 1976;Ignatiades et al, 1995;GotsisSkretas et al, 1996;Psarra et al, 2000).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Phytoplankton composition and abundance in the coastal waters of the Datça and Bozburun Peninsulas, south-eastern Aegean Sea (Turkey)

Taş

2013

Medit. Mar. Sci.

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A study on the abundance and composition of some groups of phytoplankton (diatoms, dinoflagellates and silicoflagellates) was carried out in the marine areas of the Datça and Bozburun Peninsulas between 2002 and 2004. Simultaneously, measured physical (salinity, temperature, secchi disc) and chemical parameters (nutrients, chlorophyll a, dissolved oxygen) were assessed together with phytoplankton data. Seawater and plankton net samples were taken from 63 stations during 6 sampling periods. A total of 132 taxa (genus, species and infraspecies level) belonging to 3 taxonomic classes were reported and a checklist of phytoplankton was prepared for this study area. Average nutrient values in surface water ranged from 0.01 to 1.19 µM for NO 3 +NO 2 -N, from 0.01 to 0.69 µM for PO 4 -P and from 0.50 to 5.31 µM for SiO 2 -Si and chl-a values were between 0.19 and 0.68 µg l . Dinoflagellates showed a more homogeneous distribution in a wider area than diatoms. Dinoflagellate abundance increased in areas close to the fish farms due to the amount of nutrients originating from the farms. Spatial changes in phytoplankton composition observed in this marine area revealed that phytoplankton is very sensitive to ecosystem changes. The study area could generally be defined as oligotrophic in terms of trophic status, depending on the nutrient and chl-a concentrations. Moreover, very low cell abundance and the high number of species observed in this area also reflect the typical characteristics of oligotrophic waters.

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“…Eastern Mediterranean and the Hellenic seas in particular, are recognized among the most oligotrophic areas in the world (Ignatiades et al, 2002). Despite of this characteristic, eutrophication phenomena and pollution problems are frequently encountered in coastal waters of the Aegean and the Ionian Seas, mainly due to by-products of anthropogenic activities in the watershed, including urban, industrial effluents and agricultural runoff (Scoullos, 1979;Angelidis et al,1980;Voutsinou-Taliadouri, 1982;Varnavas et al, 1984;Boboti et al, 1985 Arhonditsis et al, 2003).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Marine monitoring along the eastern coastal area of the Island of Lesvos, Greece during 2004 in the Framework of MEDPOL III

2013

Global NEST Journal

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The present survey was carried out in the framework of MEDPOL Phase III (2004 -2006, aiming to provide recent information for the long-term monitoring of pollution trends in selected susceptible marine environments along the Mediterranean coastline. Information was collected from a network of four stations spaced out along the eastern coast of the Island of Lesvos, Greece, including a high risk station near the harbour of the city of Mytilini. Pollutants in abiotic components of the marine environment (seawater, sediment) as well as in selected marine organisms (M. barbatus and B. boops) were measured. It was found that there is no evidence of substantial pollution of the marine environment (seawater, sediment and fish) with respect to the pollutants measured. However, it was shown that although the uncontrolled discharge of untreated effluents has been reduced since the beginning of the operation of the Mytilini sewage treatment plant in 2001, sediments near the harbour of the city still carry increased loads of metals of anthropogenic origin. Furthermore, the small quantity of untreated sewerage that still flows out in the harbour of the city seems to affect water quality, since a higher mesotrophic character with eutrophic trends was observed in the area.

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Phytoplankton size-based dynamics in the Aegean Sea (Eastern Mediterranean)

Cited by 147 publications

References 71 publications

Seasonal dynamics of the endosymbiotic, nitrogen-fixing cyanobacterium Richelia intracellularis in the eastern Mediterranean Sea

Seasonal dynamics of the endosymbiotic, nitrogen-fixing cyanobacterium Richelia intracellularis in the eastern Mediterranean Sea

Phytoplankton composition and abundance in the coastal waters of the Datça and Bozburun Peninsulas, south-eastern Aegean Sea (Turkey)

Marine monitoring along the eastern coastal area of the Island of Lesvos, Greece during 2004 in the Framework of MEDPOL III

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