Seasonal variations of phytoplankton assemblages and its relation to environmental variables in a scallop culture sea area of Bohai Bay, China

• Published in: Marine pollution bulletin 2016-12, Vol.113 (1-2), p.362-370
• Main Authors: Chen, Yang-hang, Gao, Ya-hui, Chen, Chang-ping, Liang, Jun-rong, Sun, Lin, Zhen, Yu, Qiao, Ling
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Aquaculture - methods; Bacillariophyceae; Bays - chemistry; China; Diatoms - growth & development; Dinoflagellida - growth & development; Environmental factors; Environmental Monitoring - methods; Eutrophication; Marine; Pectinidae - growth & development; Phytoplankton - growth & development; Phytoplankton assemblages; Red tide; Salinity; Scallop culture; Seasonal variations; Silicon Dioxide - chemistry; Temperature
• ISSN: 0025-326X; 1879-3363
• DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2016.10.025

Seasonal variations of phytoplankton assemblages were examined in a scallop culture sea area of Bohai Bay (China) with regard to some major physical and chemical variables. Samples were collected at three stations from July 2011 to September 2013. A total of 134 species belong to 4 phyla were identified, of which 104 were diatoms, 27 were dinoflagellates, 1 was euglenophyte and 2 were chrysophytes. The cells abundance in autumn (55.44×103cells/L) was higher than that in summer (6.99×103cells/L), spring (3.46×103cells/L) and winter (2.69×103cells/L). The Shannon-Wiener diversity index was higher in summer (3.06), followed by spring (3.02) and winter (2.91), and low in autumn (1.40). Results of canonical correspondence analysis showed that phosphate, salinity, temperature, silicate and DIN/SiO2 ratio were the most important environmental factors influencing the variation of phytoplankton community structure. It is suggested that eutrophication resulted from scallop culture would cause a potential red tide risk. •Phytoplankton assemblages were dominated by diatoms followed by dinoflagellates.•Phytoplankton seasonal variation was controlled by temperature and nutrient.•Hydrodynamic is a behind factor controlled the physical and chemical factors.•Potential red tide risk exists due to the eutrophication caused by scallop culture.