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Coupling of phytoplankton and ciliate biomasses to environmental factors along the north coast of Sfax (Tunisia, Eastern Mediterranean Sea)

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Abstract

The phytoplankton and ciliate biomasses coupled with environmental factors were investigated in 15 transects in north coasts of Sfax (Tunisia, Eastern Mediterranean Sea) in July 2007. The phytoplankton biomass was dominated by Bacillariophyceae (89.66%), followed by Dinophyceae (10.07%), Coccolithophorideae (0.96%), Cyanobacteriae (0.21%), Chlorophyceae (0.03%) and Euglenophyceae (0.01%). Coscinodiscus sp. (93.26%) was the most abundant species of Bacillariophyceae group and associated with a high nutrient availability. Ciliate biomass was highly variable, with a large dominance of Spirotrichea, up to 96.2%. Biomass followed distinct patterns because of differences in the observed organism biovolumes. The spatial distribution of the ciliates biomass seems to be dependent on environmental factors and probably on their capacity to exploit a wide range of food resources including phytoplankton. The pollution generated by the phosphate-treating manufactory influenced the spatial phytoplankton and ciliate community’s distribution and their diversity along the north coast of Sfax.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research Unity UR/11ES72 Biodiversity and Aquatic Ecosystem. Street Soukra Km 3.5 - BP 1171- CP, 3000, Sfax, Tunisia

    Amira Rekik, Jannet Elloumi, Zaher Drira, Sami Maalej & Habib Ayadi

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  1. Amira Rekik
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  2. Jannet Elloumi
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Correspondence to Jannet Elloumi.

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Rekik, A., Elloumi, J., Drira, Z. et al. Coupling of phytoplankton and ciliate biomasses to environmental factors along the north coast of Sfax (Tunisia, Eastern Mediterranean Sea). Water Resour 44, 849–863 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1134/S0097807817090019

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