Phytoplankton Pigments Reveal Size Structure and Interannual Variability of the Coastal Phytoplankton Community (Adriatic Sea)
In coastal seas, a variety of environmental variables characterise the average annual pattern of the physico-chemical environment and influence the temporal and spatial variations of phytoplankton communities. The aim of this study was to track the annual and interannual variability of phytoplankton...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-12-01
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| Series: | Water |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/14/1/23 |
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| author | Vesna Flander-Putrle Janja Francé Patricija Mozetič |
| author_facet | Vesna Flander-Putrle Janja Francé Patricija Mozetič |
| author_sort | Vesna Flander-Putrle |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In coastal seas, a variety of environmental variables characterise the average annual pattern of the physico-chemical environment and influence the temporal and spatial variations of phytoplankton communities. The aim of this study was to track the annual and interannual variability of phytoplankton biomass in different size classes in the Gulf of Trieste (Adriatic Sea) using phytoplankton pigments. The seasonal pattern of phytoplankton size classes showed a co-dominance of the nano and micro fractions during the spring peak and a predominance of the latter during the autumn peak. The highest picoplankton values occurred during the periods with the lowest total phytoplankton biomass, with chlorophytes dominating during the colder months and cyanobacteria during the summer. The highest number of significant correlations was found between phytoplankton taxa and size classes and temperature, nitrate and nitrite. The most obvious trend observed over the time series was an increase in picoplankton in all water layers, with the most significant trend in the bottom layer. Nano- and microplankton showed greater variation in biomass, with a decrease in nanoplankton biomass in 2011 and 2012 and negative trend in microplankton biomass in the bottom layer. These results suggest that changes in trophic relationships in the pelagic food web may also have implications for biogeochemical processes in the coastal sea. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T03:12:31Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-94a80c2f0a9f4c32bdfc9162c804683b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4441 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T03:12:31Z |
| publishDate | 2021-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Water |
| spelling | doaj.art-94a80c2f0a9f4c32bdfc9162c804683b2023-11-23T12:31:37ZengMDPI AGWater2073-44412021-12-011412310.3390/w14010023Phytoplankton Pigments Reveal Size Structure and Interannual Variability of the Coastal Phytoplankton Community (Adriatic Sea)Vesna Flander-Putrle0Janja Francé1Patricija Mozetič2National Institute of Biology, Marine Biology Station Piran, Fornače 41, SI-6330 Piran, SloveniaNational Institute of Biology, Marine Biology Station Piran, Fornače 41, SI-6330 Piran, SloveniaNational Institute of Biology, Marine Biology Station Piran, Fornače 41, SI-6330 Piran, SloveniaIn coastal seas, a variety of environmental variables characterise the average annual pattern of the physico-chemical environment and influence the temporal and spatial variations of phytoplankton communities. The aim of this study was to track the annual and interannual variability of phytoplankton biomass in different size classes in the Gulf of Trieste (Adriatic Sea) using phytoplankton pigments. The seasonal pattern of phytoplankton size classes showed a co-dominance of the nano and micro fractions during the spring peak and a predominance of the latter during the autumn peak. The highest picoplankton values occurred during the periods with the lowest total phytoplankton biomass, with chlorophytes dominating during the colder months and cyanobacteria during the summer. The highest number of significant correlations was found between phytoplankton taxa and size classes and temperature, nitrate and nitrite. The most obvious trend observed over the time series was an increase in picoplankton in all water layers, with the most significant trend in the bottom layer. Nano- and microplankton showed greater variation in biomass, with a decrease in nanoplankton biomass in 2011 and 2012 and negative trend in microplankton biomass in the bottom layer. These results suggest that changes in trophic relationships in the pelagic food web may also have implications for biogeochemical processes in the coastal sea.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/14/1/23phytoplanktonbiomassphytoplankton size classesphytoplankton pigmentsHPLCinterannual variability |
| spellingShingle | Vesna Flander-Putrle Janja Francé Patricija Mozetič Phytoplankton Pigments Reveal Size Structure and Interannual Variability of the Coastal Phytoplankton Community (Adriatic Sea) Water phytoplankton biomass phytoplankton size classes phytoplankton pigments HPLC interannual variability |
| title | Phytoplankton Pigments Reveal Size Structure and Interannual Variability of the Coastal Phytoplankton Community (Adriatic Sea) |
| title_full | Phytoplankton Pigments Reveal Size Structure and Interannual Variability of the Coastal Phytoplankton Community (Adriatic Sea) |
| title_fullStr | Phytoplankton Pigments Reveal Size Structure and Interannual Variability of the Coastal Phytoplankton Community (Adriatic Sea) |
| title_full_unstemmed | Phytoplankton Pigments Reveal Size Structure and Interannual Variability of the Coastal Phytoplankton Community (Adriatic Sea) |
| title_short | Phytoplankton Pigments Reveal Size Structure and Interannual Variability of the Coastal Phytoplankton Community (Adriatic Sea) |
| title_sort | phytoplankton pigments reveal size structure and interannual variability of the coastal phytoplankton community adriatic sea |
| topic | phytoplankton biomass phytoplankton size classes phytoplankton pigments HPLC interannual variability |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/14/1/23 |
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