Phytoplankton community composition in nearshore coastal waters of Louisiana

• Published in: Marine pollution bulletin Vol. 64; no. 8; pp. 1705 - 1712
• Main Authors: Schaeffer, Blake A., Kurtz, Janis C., Hein, Michael K.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.08.2012
• Subjects: Bacillariophyceae; Bays; Brackish; brackish water; coastal water; community structure; correlation; Diatoms; Diatoms - classification; Diatoms - growth & development; dissolved oxygen; dynamics; Environmental Monitoring; Eutrophication; Gulf of Mexico; Gymnodinium; Harmful algae; Hypoxia; light; Louisiana; Marine; oxygen; Phytoplankton; Phytoplankton - classification; Phytoplankton - growth & development; Seawater; Taxonomy; water pollution; Water Pollution - statistics & numerical data; Louisiana; ASW, USA, Louisiana; Harmful algae; Louisiana; Phytoplankton; Hypoxia; Gulf of Mexico; Taxonomy
• ISSN: 0025-326X; 1879-3363
• DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2012.03.017

► Phytoplankton group diversity and evenness remained relatively constant. ► Diatoms were dominant in relative abundance and biovolume. ► A decline in biovolume was correlated to an increase in light attenuation. ► Eight potentially harmful algal genera were identified, including Gymnodinium sp. Phytoplankton community compositions within near-shore coastal and estuarine waters of Louisiana were characterized by group diversity, evenness, relative abundance and biovolume. Sixty-six taxa were identified in addition to eight potentially harmful algal genera including Gymnodinium sp. Phytoplankton group diversity was lowest at Vermillion Bay in February 2008, but otherwise ranged between 2.16 and 3.40. Phytoplankton evenness was also lowest at Vermillion Bay in February 2008, but otherwise ranged between 0.54 and 0.77. Dissolved oxygen increased with increased biovolume (R2=0.85, p<0.001) and biovolume decreased with increased light attenuation (R2=0.34, p=0.007), which supported the importance of light in regulating oxygen dynamics. Diatoms were dominant in relative abundance and biovolume at almost all stations and all cruises. Brunt–Väisälä frequency was used as a measure of water column stratification and was negatively correlated (p=0.02) to diatom relative percent total abundance.