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Synchronous blooms of the coccolithophore Emiliania huxleyi and three dinoflagellates in the Dardanelles (Turkish Straits System)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 May 2008

Muhammet Turkoglu*
Affiliation:
Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Fisheries Faculty, Hydrobiology Department, Terzioglu Campus, 17100 Canakkale, Turkey
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: Muhammet TurkogluCanakkale Onsekiz Mart University Fisheries FacultyHydrobiology Department Terzioglu Campus 17100 CanakkaleTurkey email: mturkoglu@comu.edu.tr
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Abstract

This study focuses on the synchronous blooms of the coccolithophore Emiliania huxleyi and three dinoflagellates Prorocentrum micans, Ceratium furca var. furca and Ceratium fusus var. seta observed between 7 June and 11 July 2003 in the Dardanelles. An analysis of the vertical distribution of the E. huxleyi population size with respect to various environmental parameters was discussed. Additionally, inorganic nutrients and phytoplankton interactions were investigated in relation to the bloom conditions and hydrography of the Dardanelles. The algal bloom started in nearby Izmit Bay (eastern end of the Sea of Marmara) in early June, then quickly spread through the Sea of Marmara and continued until mid-July. Thermal stratification was observed between different water masses at the time of sampling. During the bloom period, cell density of E. huxleyi ranged from 3.58 × 107 to 2.55 × 108 cells l−1 in the superficial layer. Prorocentrum micans was the second most-abundant species and the cell numbers ranged from 1.0 × 106 cells l−1 to 3.3 × 106 cells l−1. Other abundant species in this area included C. furca var. furca and C. fusus var. seta.

Information

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2008
Figure 0

Fig. 1. Map of the Dardanelles and the location of the sampling station (St; 40°09′ N 26°24′ E).

Figure 1

Fig. 2. The vertical profiles of (A) temperature (B) salinity (C) pH and (D) dissolved oxygen during the Emiliania huxleyi bloom in the Dardanelles.

Figure 2

Fig. 3. The vertical profiles of (A) PO−34, (B) NO−2 + NO−3, (C) SiO4 and (D) chlorophyll-a during the Emiliania huxleyi bloom in the Dardanelles.

Figure 3

Fig. 4. The vertical profiles of (A) N:P, (B) Si:P and (C) Si:N during the bloom in the Dardanelles.

Figure 4

Fig. 5. SeaWiFS true colour images of the Sea of Marmara and the Dardanelles showing the (A) initiation, (B) development and (C) decay of the Emiliania huxleyi bloom in early summer 2003. The images are provided by Norman Kuring of the NASA Project/Goddard Earth Sciences. Turquoise colour marks the coccoliths in images (B) and (C).

Figure 5

Fig. 6. The vertical profiles of (A) coccolithophore Emiliania huxleyi, (B) dinoflagellates Prorocentrum micans and (C) Ceratium spp., (D) other dinoflagellates, (E) diatoms and (F) total phytoplankton during the bloom. Numbers are in cells l−1. Note that scales are different for different phytoplankton groups.

Figure 6

Table 1. Rational contributions (%) of coccolithophore Emiliania huxleyi, dinoflagellates Prorocentrum micans, Ceratium spp., other dinoflagellates and diatoms to phytoplankton community composition placed into different groups in the different water layers of the Dardanelles in the E. huxleyi bloom period of 5 June–11 July 2003.

Figure 7

Fig. 7. Relationships between Emiliania huxleyi and PO−34 in the surface (0.5 m), interface (25 m) and deep (50 m) layer of the Dardanelles. For each regression, the coefficients of determination (r2) and the significance levels (P) are shown.

Figure 8

Table 2. Pearson correlations between coccolithophore Emiliania huxleyi, dinoflagellates Prorocentrum micans, Ceratium spp., other dinoflagellate species, diatoms and several environmental and biological variables in the surface (0.5 m), interface (25 m) and deep (50 m) layer of the Dardanelles. Significant correlation coefficients are shown (*: P< 0.05; **: P < 0.01) and non-significant relationships are indicated (n.s.: P > 0.05).