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Seasonal variations of phytoplankton community in relation to environmental factors in a protected meso-oligotrophic southern Mediterranean marine ecosystem (Mellah lagoon, Algeria) with an emphasis of HAB species

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Abstract

The spatial and temporal variation of phytoplankton communities including HAB species in relation to the environmental characteristics was investigated in the protected meso-oligotrophic Mellah lagoon located in the South Western Mediterranean. During 2016, a biweekly monitoring of phytoplankton assemblages and the main abiotic factors were realized at three representative stations. Taxonomic composition, abundance, and diversity index were determined. In total, 227 phytoplankton species (160 diatoms and 53 dinoflagellates) were inventoried. There was a clear dominance of diatoms (62.9%) compared with dinoflagellates (36.8%). Diatoms dominated in spring and dinoflagellates developed in summer and early autumn in Mellah showing a marked seasonal trend. Data showed that the dynamic of the phytoplankton taxa evolving in the lagoon was mainly driven by temperature and salinity. For the first time, a number of potentially toxic species have been identified, including 2 diatoms (Pseudo-nitzschia group delicatissima, Pseudo-nitzschia group seriata) and 5 dinoflagellates (Alexandrium minutum, Alexandrium tamarense/catenella, Dinophysis acuminata, Dinophysis sacculus, Prorocentrum lima). These harmful species could threat the functioning of the Mellah lagoon and human health and require the establishment of a monitoring network. Finally, our study suggests that the observed decrease of the phytoplankton diversity between 2001 and 2016 could result from the reduction in water exchanges between the lagoon and the adjacent coast following the gradual clogging of the channel.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the LAGUNOTOX research project funded by foundation TOTAL. Thanks to IRD (Institut Français pour la recherche et le développement) and MARBEC Laboratory for funding the stay of M.A. Draredja in Montpellier University. We thank the Algerian Minestry of High Eucation and Scientific Research for funding M.A. Draredja PhD thesis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Aquatic and Terrestrial Ecosystems, Faculty of Sciences of Nature and Life, M.C Messaadia University, 1553, 41000, Souk Ahras, PB, Algeria

    Mohamed Anis Draredja & Chahinaise Boualleg

  2. Marine Bioresources Laboratory, Faculty of Science, Badji Mokhtar University, 12, 23000, Annaba, PB, Algeria

    Hocine Frihi

  3. Laboratory of Oceanology, FOCUS Research Unit, MARE Center, University of Liege, B6c, 11 Allée du 6 Août, Sart-Tilman, 4000, Liège, Belgium

    Anne Gofart

  4. Center for Marine Biodiversity, Exploitation and Conservation (MARBEC), IRD, Ifremer, CNRS, Université de Montpellier, Place E. Bataillon, CC93, 34095, Montpellier CEDEX 5, France

    Eric Abadie & Mohamed Laabir

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  1. Mohamed Anis Draredja
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  2. Hocine Frihi
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  3. Chahinaise Boualleg
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Correspondence to Mohamed Laabir.

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Appendices

Appendix 1 Check list of phytoplankton species encountered in Mellah lagoon during 2016. (F: freshwater, M: marine, L: lagoon, T: potentially toxic). Classification depending on Website WoRMS: http://www.marinespecies.organd AlgaeBase: http://www.algaebase.org

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Appendix 2 Spearman correlations matrix between environmental factors and dominating microphytoplanton taxa (diatoms and dinoflagellates) in the water column. Values are in bold and underlined when significant with p < 0.01 and only in bold with p < 0.05

figure b

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Draredja, M.A., Frihi, H., Boualleg, C. et al. Seasonal variations of phytoplankton community in relation to environmental factors in a protected meso-oligotrophic southern Mediterranean marine ecosystem (Mellah lagoon, Algeria) with an emphasis of HAB species. Environ Monit Assess 191, 603 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-019-7708-5

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