Dinoflagellate cyst assemblages as repertoire of species diversity: Main results of the EU-SEED Project related to Mediterranean sites

Abstract

The predictability of harmful algal blooms (HABs) is one of the most complex subjects of study and one of the major setbacks is improving our knowledge of life strategies of the species and their links to thesurrounding environment. Dormant cells are well-recognized stages of the life cycles of HA species. The duration of the dormant phase is often much greater than that of the multiplicative vegetative one. The dormant cells are non-motile hence, during the resting period, dispersion and concentration are determined by the same forcing functions that control the dynamic of passive particles in the water. Due to these features, the dormant stages contribute to the persistence and expansion of harmful species. In the EU SEED project, one of the objectives was focused in the mapping of cyst beds and seed populations in surface sediments to obtain information of species at several Mediterranean areas. The maps were produced in a range of locations and habitats. The focus of those surveys has been to asses the present or past biogeographic distribution of HA species.