TEMPORAL DISTRIBUTION AND COMPOSITION OF PHYTOPLANKTON IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF CASPIAN SEA (IN IRANIAN WATERS) FROM 1994 TO 2007

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Date
2011-01
Authors
KHENARI, ALI GANJIAN
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Abstract
Caspian Sea is the largest inner water body on the earth undeIWent sharp changes in its ecosystem during the recent decades of the 20th century. They were caused by natural (eg. transgression of the sea level, climate change, increase of fresh water inflow) and anthropogenic fact~rs (~g. pollution, invasion of ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi, illegal fishing for sturgeons at sear All that led to significant change in hydrological regime; modify the food base, abundance and biomass of biological resources and bioproductivity of the Sea. Long-tenn qualitative and quantitative characteristics of phytoplankton community structure and biomass were investigated in 1994-2007. During the study period, 4556 samples of phytoplankton were collected during 33 cruises in the southern part of the Caspian Sea (SCS). A total of 334 species (88 genera) of phytoplankton were identified in the SCS, which comprised of Bacillariophyta, Chlorophyta, Cyanophyta, Pyrrophyta, Euglenophyta, Chrysophyta, Xanthophyta and Cryptophytic. Each of the phytoplankton group was comprised of 155 species (34%), 61 species (190/0), 55 species (160/0), 30 species (9%) 25 species (70/0), 4 species (10/0), 3 species (1 %) and I species, respectively. Bacillariophyta and Pyrrophyta were present in all ecological groups. The phytoplankton ecological groups were fresh water species (34%), fresh - brackish - water species (lo%), brackish-water species (14%), brackishlnarine- water species (4%), lnarine species (80/0) and other species (220/0). The d01ninant ~ groups of phytoplankton froin the 1994 through 2007 were Bacillariophyta which constituted the major cell abundance and biOlnass (37 ~Io, and 52~/o, respectively). The cell abundance and biomass of Pyrrophyta were 340;() and 37%, respectively. The highest annual mean phytoplankton cell abundance and biomass were 249.1 x 106 ± 22.4x 106 cells/m3 and 1034.17±117.81 mg/m3 , respectively; and higher population was due to the presence of Pyrrophyta, Bacillariophyta and Cyanophyta between years 2001-2002. The cell abundance and biomass of phytoplankton population showed significant difference in years 1994-2007 (p<O.OOl). The maximum cell abundance (9.7 x 106 cells / m3 ) and biomass (83.8 mg/m3 ) were observed in brackish-water and marine water fonns, respectively. Long-term changes ot cell abundance and biomass in 5 ecological groups and dominant ~pecies were" observed-in different years. In 2001-2002, the dominant phytoplankton were Exuviella cordata and Rhizosolenia fragilissima species; and high density was due to Bacillariophyta and Pyrrophyta in winter. In 1999-2007, after the invasion of ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi, higher cell abundance was no longer recorded in spriI'g but in winter and autumn; while higher biomass shifted from summer to winter and spring. High diversity index of phytoplankton was associated with high level of transparency and salinity. Phytoplankton population aggregated at the depth of 0 - 20 m with more than 87% of total cell abundance due to some favorable conditions such as higher water temperature, light penetration, dissolved oxygen and nutrient concentrations. Low values of Shannon-Winener index (H') were supported by low evenness index. Vertical distribution of phytoplankton cell abundance and biomass decreased with increasing depth. Water quality in Sf'S was classified as moderately and highly organically polluted. In the present study, algal genus and species poll,u. tion indices (API) were due to the oscillation in the nUlnber of phytoplankton species cOInposition. In this study, the principal cOlnponent analysis (peA) was used for the quality Ineasurel11ent of variables such as nitrate, nitrite, ammonium, and phosphate and phytoplankton biomass. The eutrophication index (EI) showed an increasing trend from oligotrophic to eutrophic, with its lower value was observed for the typical oligotrophic (0.21) in 1994 and the highest in 2005-06 (1.22). Long tenn E1 ranged from 0.26 to 1.22 in 1994/1996 and 1996/1997 were grouped in the typical oligotrophic (0) and 1999/2000 were grouped as the standard mesotrophic (M) and 2003/2004, 2004/2005, 2005/2006 and 2006/2007 were grouped \vith the typical eutrophic (E). Cyanophyta were represented mainly by Aphanothece elabens, Microcystis spp., Oscillatoria limosa, Spirlilina laxissma and Anabaena spp. throughout the years. The highest cell abundance and biomass were observed in summer and autumn. Long tenn biomonitoring in the SCS is required to manage its sustainable resources and to prevent environmental degradation.
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Keywords
TEMPORAL DISTRIBUTION , CASPIAN SEA
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