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Inter-decadal Variability in Phytoplankton Community in the Middle Adriatic (Kaštela Bay) in Relation to the North Atlantic Oscillation

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Abstract

Evaluation of a 45-year data set of primary production (PP), a 30-year data set of phytoplankton biomass, and a 51-year data set of species composition shows an increase of phytoplankton biomass and abundance in the period from the mid-1980s to the mid-1990s. Phytoplankton biomass showed bimodal seasonal cycles, with winter and spring maxima, which did not change over the past 30 years. Diatoms were the most abundant functional group and they prevailed during the colder part of the year while the dinoflagellate contribution to the phytoplankton community increased in the warmer period from May to August. Diatoms showed a significant negative correlation with sea surface temperature (SST), while dinoflagellates were positively correlated with SST. An increase of phytoplankton abundance, particularly dinoflagellate, in the period from the mid-1980s to the mid-1990s coincided with years characterized by a high North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) index. Primary production and chlorophyll a concentration in the spring period were negatively correlated with the NAO winter (DJFM) index, probably caused by increased precipitation associated with a low or negative NAO index. PP in winter during the mixing period was positively related to the NAO winter index associated with higher temperatures and dry conditions which brought more clear days and increased input of solar radiation.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by funding from the Croatian Ministry of Science, Education, and Sports through grants 001-0010501-0848 and 001-0013077-0845 and also through the SESAME project No. 036949. The authors are grateful for the useful comments of the referees that greatly improved the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries, Šetalište I. Meštrovića 63, 21000, Split, Croatia, P.O. Box 500

    Živana Ninčević Gladan, Ivona Marasović, Branka Grbec, Sanda Skejić, Mia Bužančić, Grozdan Kušpilić, Slavica Matijević & Frano Matić

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  1. Živana Ninčević Gladan
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  2. Ivona Marasović
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  3. Branka Grbec
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  4. Sanda Skejić
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  5. Mia Bužančić
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  6. Grozdan Kušpilić
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  7. Slavica Matijević
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  8. Frano Matić
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Correspondence to Živana Ninčević Gladan.

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Ninčević Gladan, Ž., Marasović, I., Grbec, B. et al. Inter-decadal Variability in Phytoplankton Community in the Middle Adriatic (Kaštela Bay) in Relation to the North Atlantic Oscillation. Estuaries and Coasts 33, 376–383 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12237-009-9223-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12237-009-9223-3

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