Temporal variation in the phytoplankton community of Acapulco Bay, Mexico

Abstract

<p>Species composition and abundance of the phytoplankton community in Acapulco Bay, Mexico, were studied from May to December 2009. Samples were collected at 5 stations (4 coastal and 1 oceanic) at 3 depths (1, 5 and 10 m). Eighty-seven species were identified: 54 dinoflagellates, 32 diatoms and 1 silicoflagellate. The community was structured mainly by adiaphoric species, that is, species adapted to both neritic and oceanic environments. Species abundance and composition varied significantly during the sampling period due to increased nutrient concentrations in the rainy season. Dinoflagellate species were more abundant during the dry season, and diatom species dominated numerically during the rainy season.</p

Temporal Variation in Composition and Abundance of Phytoplankton Species during 2011 and 2012 in Acapulco Bay, Mexico

“…This result coincides with [3] [4] [9] [10]. In regards to species richness in the same study area, however it disagrees with the pattern observed in other studies of phytoplankton composition from other tropical locations, in which diatoms dominate in terms of number of species [11]- [15].…”

“…The total richness (82 species) recorded herein, is found within the range of the species reported for the study area [3] [9] [13], as well as for other countries with similar environmental conditions [11] [12] [14]. However, [10] reported 641 taxa for Acapulco Bay and adjacent areas, which belonged to eight divisions of algae, where the most diverse group was Dinophyta with 347 taxa, followed by Bacillariophyta with 274 taxa.…”

“…Hence, the greatest abundances of some of the phytoplanktonic species found during May, September, and October 2012 can be attributed to water temperatures which are significantly warmer [3] [9] sincehigh temperatures can enhance growth of some dinoflagellate populations. In addition, diatoms respond rapidly to the increase of nutrient concentration [19], thus their growth can be faster than the found for dinoflagellates, as it occurs during the raining season.…”

“…It is considered to be very climatologically protected [3]. Nevertheless the ecological importance of the bay, because it operates as nursery for many fish species, which feed inside the same, very few studies have been carried out on the phytoplankton communities and in particular on the variation in the species composition through time [3] [4]. The aim of the present study was to examine the temporal variation, in the species composition and abundance in the phytoplankton community of Acapulco Bay, during two years.…”

“…The bay has a semi-circular (6.3 km diameter), amphitheater-like shape created by low hills (<500 m) surrounding the south-facing bay. It is considered to be very climatologically protected [3]. Nevertheless the ecological importance of the bay, because it operates as nursery for many fish species, which feed inside the same, very few studies have been carried out on the phytoplankton communities and in particular on the variation in the species composition through time [3] [4].…”