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Spatial and temporal variations of microphytoplankton composition related to hydrographic conditions in the Gulf of Gabès

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 June 2009

Zaher Drira ,
Malika Bel Hassen ,
Asma Hamza ,
Ahmed Rebai ,
Abderrahmen Bouain ,
Habib Ayadi  and
Lotfi Aleya
Zaher Drira
Affiliation:
Université de Sfax, Faculté des Sciences de Sfax, Département des Sciences de la Vie. Unité de recherche LR/UR/05ES05 Biodiversité et Ecosystèmes Aquatiques, Route Soukra Km 3.5–BP 1171–CP 3000 Sfax, Tunisie
Malika Bel Hassen
Affiliation:
Institut National des Sciences et Technologie de la Mer, 2025 Salammbô Tunis, Tunisie
Asma Hamza
Affiliation:
Institut National des Sciences et Technologie de la Mer, Centre de Sfax BP 1035 Sfax 3018Tunisie
Ahmed Rebai
Affiliation:
Centre de Biotechnologies de Sfax, BP ‘K’, 3038 Sfax, Tunisie
Abderrahmen Bouain
Affiliation:
Université de Sfax, Faculté des Sciences de Sfax, Département des Sciences de la Vie. Unité de recherche LR/UR/05ES05 Biodiversité et Ecosystèmes Aquatiques, Route Soukra Km 3.5–BP 1171–CP 3000 Sfax, Tunisie
Habib Ayadi
Affiliation:
Université de Sfax, Faculté des Sciences de Sfax, Département des Sciences de la Vie. Unité de recherche LR/UR/05ES05 Biodiversité et Ecosystèmes Aquatiques, Route Soukra Km 3.5–BP 1171–CP 3000 Sfax, Tunisie
Lotfi Aleya*
Affiliation:
Université de Franche-Comté, Laboratoire de Chrono- environnement, UMR CNRS 6249- Place Leclerc, F-25030 Besançon cedex, France
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: L. Aleya, Université de Franche-Comté, Laboratoire de Chrono-environnement, UMR CNRS 6249-Place Leclerc, F-25030 Besançon cedex, France email: lotfi.aleya@univ-fcomte.fr
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Abstract

The spatial and temporal variations of the microphytoplankton communities were examined during four oceanographic cruises conducted between July 2005 and March 2007 aboard the RV ‘Hannibal’. Water thermal stratification started in May–June, and a thermocline established at 20 m depth, but ranged between 25 m during July and more than 30 m during September. The high concentrations of chlorophyll-a were observed during the May–June semi-mixed conditions and were mainly correlated with the concentrations of phosphate, suggesting a potential limitation by this nutrient. The Bacillariophyceae were dominant in the coastal samples, whereas they declined in the offshore area, most likely due to silicate shortage. Cyanobacteriae developed over semi-mixed conditions and at the thermocline depth. Relatively constant abundance of dinoflagellates was observed during the sampling periods from the coast to the offshore area, mainly explained by the high diversity species of this group. The results suggest that some phytoplankton taxa are generally adapted to specific hydrological conditions, whereas the dinoflagellates did not seem to follow this trend. Our findings have important biogeochemical implications in relationship with the export fluxes of the particulate matter throughout the water column.

Keywords

phytoplanktonhydrographynutrient availabilitycoastal and open sea areasGulf of Gabès
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom , Volume 89 , Issue 8 , December 2009 , pp. 1559 - 1569
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2009

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