Skeletonema species (Bacillariophyta) from the northwestern Sea of Japan: morphology, ecology, seasonal and long-term dynamics

• Published in: Botanica marina Vol. 65; no. 3; pp. 159 - 175
• Main Authors: Shevchenko, Olga G., Ponomareva, Anna A., Shulgina, Maria A., Tevs, Kirill O., Orlova, Tatiana Yu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin De Gruyter 27.06.2022; Walter de Gruyter GmbH
• Subjects: Abundance; bloom; Blooms; Cells; Coastal waters; dynamics; Ecological effects; Electron microscopy; Environmental factors; Geographical distribution; Morphology; New records; Phytoplankton; Plankton; Skeletonema; Skeletonema costatum; Species diversity; Tropical climate; Sea of Japan
• ISSN: 0006-8055; 1437-4323
• DOI: 10.1515/bot-2021-0102

species are among the most important components of phytoplankton communities in the temperate and tropical Pacific Ocean. Data on species diversity and abundance in the northeastern Pacific are fragmentary. The long-term observations (1996–2019) of the phytoplankton from the coastal waters of the northwestern Sea of Japan resulted in five species being recorded: , , , and For each of the species, a morphological description is provided based on electron microscopy. Ecological factors influencing the distribution of the species and their occurrence under certain environmental parameters are discussed. One of the species, , is a new record for Russia. was confirmed to occur in the study area. Seasonal and interannual changes in the abundance of species were studied. The concentrations of the species varied from 20 cells l to 12,700,000 cells l . From 1996 to 2018 there was a downward trend in the numbers of . was noted for the first time to bloom. formed summer blooms; bloomed in the autumn. No blooms were detected in the winter months.