Phytoplankton and microbial plankton of the mediterranean sea

Abstract

Although located within a narrow latitudinal range (less than 3°), the seven western Mediterranean sites included in this report (from west to east: Blanes Bay, Thau, Lazaret, Diana, Naples, Kastela Bay, and Stoncica) vary widely morphologically (from one offshore site to more or less open bays, gulfs, and lagoons) and in trophic status (from oligotrophic to eutrophic). Coverage in time ranges from 18 to 38 years for physical variables such as water temperature and salinity, and from 26 to 35 years for biological variables such as total diatoms and total dinoflagellates. Three sites (Blanes, Kastela, and Stoncica) also report bacterial counts and production, but for more limited time-spans. [...]