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Spatial and Temporal Variations of Phytoplankton Communities and Environmental Conditions Along the Coastal Area of Alexandria

Received: 16 September 2015    Accepted: 28 September 2015    Published: 16 October 2015
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Abstract

This paper studied the spatial and temporal variations of phytoplankton communities and environmental conditions. This study focuses on the Spatio-temporal distribution of phytoplankton community structure and environmental conditions (physical conditions, and nutrient availability) along Alexandria coastal area (from Abu Qir in the east to eastern harbor in the west) over one year 2013-2014. The study results gave a signal of the area is light to moderate polluted and emphasized the need of use phytoplankton community as index of water quality. A total of 153 phytoplankton taxa were identified belonging to73 genera (6 Classes); Bacillariophyceae, Dinophyceae, Cyanophyceae, Chlorophyceae, Euglenophyceae and Silicoflagellata. Bacillariophyceae recorded the main bulk, while the others were limited and showed an indication of pollution. The total average density (60.7x103units l-1) was mainly a reflection of the trends in counts of Bacillariophyceae (58.03x103units l-1). Species diversity (H’) ranged between 0.21 and 3.59. The most obvious impact of the previously described physical and chemical features is on the distribution of phytoplankton biomass derived from Chl-a concentration (ranged; 0.92-4.27µgL-1). The concentrations of the nutrient salts displayed significant seasonal variation. The results revealed that the values of salinity, DO, temperature and pH were in the ranges: from (35.34 to 38.28 ‰), (4.77 and 11.13 mgl-1), (18.20 and 27.5 °C), and (7.53 to 8.12), respectively In general, the results indicated that the amounts of ammonia decreased as follows: winter < spring < autumn < summer (ranged; 0.14-5.16 µM), while nitrate were as follows: spring < autumn < summer < winter (ranged; 3.69 -19.66 µM), and the PO4-P content were arranged as follows: spring < autumn < winter < summer (ranged; 0.13 -0.79 µM).

DOI 10.11648/j.sr.20150306.12
Published in Science Research (Volume 3, Issue 6, December 2015)
Page(s) 273-282
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This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Alexandria Coastal Water, Phytoplankton, Diversity Indices, Nutrients, Chlorophyll-a

References
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Author Information
  • High Institute in Jerpoly area, Tripoli, Libya

  • Environmental Science Department, Faculty of Science, Damietta University, Damietta, Egypt

  • National Institute of Oceanography & Fisheries, Kayet Bay, Alexandria, Egypt

  • Environmental Science Department, Faculty of Science, Damietta University, Damietta, Egypt

  • National Institute of Oceanography & Fisheries, Kayet Bay, Alexandria, Egypt

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    Edweb Ali Salem Dango, Mahmoud Salem Ibrahim, Nabila R. Hussein, Maie Ibrahim ElGammal, Mohamed Abel Aziz Okbah. (2015). Spatial and Temporal Variations of Phytoplankton Communities and Environmental Conditions Along the Coastal Area of Alexandria. Science Research, 3(6), 273-282. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sr.20150306.12

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    Edweb Ali Salem Dango; Mahmoud Salem Ibrahim; Nabila R. Hussein; Maie Ibrahim ElGammal; Mohamed Abel Aziz Okbah. Spatial and Temporal Variations of Phytoplankton Communities and Environmental Conditions Along the Coastal Area of Alexandria. Sci. Res. 2015, 3(6), 273-282. doi: 10.11648/j.sr.20150306.12

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    AMA Style

    Edweb Ali Salem Dango, Mahmoud Salem Ibrahim, Nabila R. Hussein, Maie Ibrahim ElGammal, Mohamed Abel Aziz Okbah. Spatial and Temporal Variations of Phytoplankton Communities and Environmental Conditions Along the Coastal Area of Alexandria. Sci Res. 2015;3(6):273-282. doi: 10.11648/j.sr.20150306.12

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  • @article{10.11648/j.sr.20150306.12,
      author = {Edweb Ali Salem Dango and Mahmoud Salem Ibrahim and Nabila R. Hussein and Maie Ibrahim ElGammal and Mohamed Abel Aziz Okbah},
      title = {Spatial and Temporal Variations of Phytoplankton Communities and Environmental Conditions Along the Coastal Area of Alexandria},
      journal = {Science Research},
      volume = {3},
      number = {6},
      pages = {273-282},
      doi = {10.11648/j.sr.20150306.12},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sr.20150306.12},
      eprint = {https://download.sciencepg.com/pdf/10.11648.j.sr.20150306.12},
      abstract = {This paper studied the spatial and temporal variations of phytoplankton communities and environmental conditions. This study focuses on the Spatio-temporal distribution of phytoplankton community structure and environmental conditions (physical conditions, and nutrient availability) along Alexandria coastal area (from Abu Qir in the east to eastern harbor in the west) over one year 2013-2014. The study results gave a signal of the area is light to moderate polluted and emphasized the need of use phytoplankton community as index of water quality. A total of 153 phytoplankton taxa were identified belonging to73 genera (6 Classes); Bacillariophyceae, Dinophyceae, Cyanophyceae, Chlorophyceae, Euglenophyceae and Silicoflagellata. Bacillariophyceae recorded the main bulk, while the others were limited and showed an indication of pollution. The total average density (60.7x103units l-1) was mainly a reflection of the trends in counts of Bacillariophyceae (58.03x103units l-1). Species diversity (H’) ranged between 0.21 and 3.59. The most obvious impact of the previously described physical and chemical features is on the distribution of phytoplankton biomass derived from Chl-a concentration (ranged; 0.92-4.27µgL-1). The concentrations of the nutrient salts displayed significant seasonal variation. The results revealed that the values of salinity, DO, temperature and pH were in the ranges: from (35.34 to 38.28 ‰), (4.77 and 11.13 mgl-1), (18.20 and 27.5 °C), and (7.53 to 8.12), respectively In general, the results indicated that the amounts of ammonia decreased as follows: winter < spring < autumn < summer (ranged; 0.14-5.16 µM), while nitrate were as follows: spring < autumn < summer < winter (ranged; 3.69 -19.66 µM), and the PO4-P content were arranged as follows: spring < autumn < winter < summer (ranged; 0.13 -0.79 µM).},
     year = {2015}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Spatial and Temporal Variations of Phytoplankton Communities and Environmental Conditions Along the Coastal Area of Alexandria
    AU  - Edweb Ali Salem Dango
    AU  - Mahmoud Salem Ibrahim
    AU  - Nabila R. Hussein
    AU  - Maie Ibrahim ElGammal
    AU  - Mohamed Abel Aziz Okbah
    Y1  - 2015/10/16
    PY  - 2015
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sr.20150306.12
    DO  - 10.11648/j.sr.20150306.12
    T2  - Science Research
    JF  - Science Research
    JO  - Science Research
    SP  - 273
    EP  - 282
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2329-0927
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sr.20150306.12
    AB  - This paper studied the spatial and temporal variations of phytoplankton communities and environmental conditions. This study focuses on the Spatio-temporal distribution of phytoplankton community structure and environmental conditions (physical conditions, and nutrient availability) along Alexandria coastal area (from Abu Qir in the east to eastern harbor in the west) over one year 2013-2014. The study results gave a signal of the area is light to moderate polluted and emphasized the need of use phytoplankton community as index of water quality. A total of 153 phytoplankton taxa were identified belonging to73 genera (6 Classes); Bacillariophyceae, Dinophyceae, Cyanophyceae, Chlorophyceae, Euglenophyceae and Silicoflagellata. Bacillariophyceae recorded the main bulk, while the others were limited and showed an indication of pollution. The total average density (60.7x103units l-1) was mainly a reflection of the trends in counts of Bacillariophyceae (58.03x103units l-1). Species diversity (H’) ranged between 0.21 and 3.59. The most obvious impact of the previously described physical and chemical features is on the distribution of phytoplankton biomass derived from Chl-a concentration (ranged; 0.92-4.27µgL-1). The concentrations of the nutrient salts displayed significant seasonal variation. The results revealed that the values of salinity, DO, temperature and pH were in the ranges: from (35.34 to 38.28 ‰), (4.77 and 11.13 mgl-1), (18.20 and 27.5 °C), and (7.53 to 8.12), respectively In general, the results indicated that the amounts of ammonia decreased as follows: winter < spring < autumn < summer (ranged; 0.14-5.16 µM), while nitrate were as follows: spring < autumn < summer < winter (ranged; 3.69 -19.66 µM), and the PO4-P content were arranged as follows: spring < autumn < winter < summer (ranged; 0.13 -0.79 µM).
    VL  - 3
    IS  - 6
    ER  - 

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