Effects of environmental variables on midsummer dinoflagellate community in the Neva Estuary (Baltic Sea)

Summary: Dinoflagellates account for most of the harmful phytoplankton species but relatively little is known about the specific responses of different species to environmental variables. 21 dinoflagellate species were recorded in the plankton of the Neva Estuary since the mid-19th century. 14-year...

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Main Authors: Mikhail Golubkov, Vera Nikulina, Sergey Golubkov
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2019-04-01
Series:Oceanologia
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0078323418300952
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author Mikhail Golubkov
Vera Nikulina
Sergey Golubkov
author_facet Mikhail Golubkov
Vera Nikulina
Sergey Golubkov
author_sort Mikhail Golubkov
collection DOAJ
description Summary: Dinoflagellates account for most of the harmful phytoplankton species but relatively little is known about the specific responses of different species to environmental variables. 21 dinoflagellate species were recorded in the plankton of the Neva Estuary since the mid-19th century. 14-year long data of midsummer dinoflagellate biomass was statistically analyzed in the Neva Estuary to show the changes in dinoflagellate species in relation to environmental factors. Biomasses of Dinophysis norvegica (Clapared & Lachmann 1859), Prorocentrum lima ((Ehrenberg) F.Stein 1878) and Peridinium aciculiferum (Lemmermann 1900) had very similar positive relationships with salinity, temperature, phosphorus and suspended particulate organic matter concentrations while the biomass of the other common species Peridinium cinctum ((Müller) Ehrenberg 1832) and Peridinium sp. mostly showed quite opposite trends. Climate fluctuations leading to changes in the environmental variables could significantly affect the composition and productivity of the dinoflagellate community. Biomass of Glenodinium sp. and Peridinium sp. positively correlated with primary production and biomass and chlorophyll a concentration, but did not show a positive relationship with phosphorus. This may be due to the fact that these species in the conditions of the Neva Estuary, apparently, are more consumers than producers of organic matter, feeding on algae and cyanobacteria of phytoplankton. Therefore, to interpret the relationships between the dinoflagellate biomass and environmental variables one should take into account that the species of this group is characterized by mixotrophy and, consequently, their biomass may depend not only on the conditions of autotrophic, but also heterotrophic nutrition. Keywords: Gulf of Finland, Phytoplankton, Mixotrophy, Eutrophication, Climate change
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spelling doaj.art-1eeae7a42a74403e9b206c8880a0d7d22022-12-22T00:52:23ZengElsevierOceanologia0078-32342019-04-01612197207Effects of environmental variables on midsummer dinoflagellate community in the Neva Estuary (Baltic Sea)Mikhail Golubkov0Vera Nikulina1Sergey Golubkov2Corresponding author at: Zoological Institute of Russian Academy of Sciences, 199034, Universitetskaya emb. 1, St. Petersburg, Russian Federation. Tel.: +7 8123280311; fax: +7 8123282941.; Zoological Institute of Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, Russian FederationZoological Institute of Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, Russian FederationZoological Institute of Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, Russian FederationSummary: Dinoflagellates account for most of the harmful phytoplankton species but relatively little is known about the specific responses of different species to environmental variables. 21 dinoflagellate species were recorded in the plankton of the Neva Estuary since the mid-19th century. 14-year long data of midsummer dinoflagellate biomass was statistically analyzed in the Neva Estuary to show the changes in dinoflagellate species in relation to environmental factors. Biomasses of Dinophysis norvegica (Clapared & Lachmann 1859), Prorocentrum lima ((Ehrenberg) F.Stein 1878) and Peridinium aciculiferum (Lemmermann 1900) had very similar positive relationships with salinity, temperature, phosphorus and suspended particulate organic matter concentrations while the biomass of the other common species Peridinium cinctum ((Müller) Ehrenberg 1832) and Peridinium sp. mostly showed quite opposite trends. Climate fluctuations leading to changes in the environmental variables could significantly affect the composition and productivity of the dinoflagellate community. Biomass of Glenodinium sp. and Peridinium sp. positively correlated with primary production and biomass and chlorophyll a concentration, but did not show a positive relationship with phosphorus. This may be due to the fact that these species in the conditions of the Neva Estuary, apparently, are more consumers than producers of organic matter, feeding on algae and cyanobacteria of phytoplankton. Therefore, to interpret the relationships between the dinoflagellate biomass and environmental variables one should take into account that the species of this group is characterized by mixotrophy and, consequently, their biomass may depend not only on the conditions of autotrophic, but also heterotrophic nutrition. Keywords: Gulf of Finland, Phytoplankton, Mixotrophy, Eutrophication, Climate changehttp://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0078323418300952
spellingShingle Mikhail Golubkov
Vera Nikulina
Sergey Golubkov
Effects of environmental variables on midsummer dinoflagellate community in the Neva Estuary (Baltic Sea)
Oceanologia
title Effects of environmental variables on midsummer dinoflagellate community in the Neva Estuary (Baltic Sea)
title_full Effects of environmental variables on midsummer dinoflagellate community in the Neva Estuary (Baltic Sea)
title_fullStr Effects of environmental variables on midsummer dinoflagellate community in the Neva Estuary (Baltic Sea)
title_full_unstemmed Effects of environmental variables on midsummer dinoflagellate community in the Neva Estuary (Baltic Sea)
title_short Effects of environmental variables on midsummer dinoflagellate community in the Neva Estuary (Baltic Sea)
title_sort effects of environmental variables on midsummer dinoflagellate community in the neva estuary baltic sea
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0078323418300952
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