Abstract
A 5 year survey of Marsamxetto Harbour, Malta, was carried out to investigate some factors contributing to “red tides” and to identify the causative organisms. “Red tides” occurred usually in May but, less predictably, also during June – August. Causative organisms included the diatom Chaetoceros sp., and the dinoflagellate genera Prorocentrum, Peridinium, Ptychodiscus, Gonyaulax, Ceratium and Cochlodinium. Early summer red tides occurred at a time of increasing insolation, and water temperature, prevailing onshore winds and salinities in the range 34.4 to 36.6‰ A consistent feature was a quick rise in sea temperature of more than 2 Co during the week preceding red water. Red tides later in the year coincided with higher temperatures and salinities and calm weather.
Similar content being viewed by others
Literature Cited
Harvey, H.W.: The chemistry and fertility of sea waters, 234 pp. London: Cambridge University Press 1957
Margalef, R.: Temporal succession and spatial heterogeneity in phytoplankton. In: Perspectives in marine biology, pp 323–349. Ed. by A.A. Buzzati-Traverso. Berkeley & Los Angeles: University of California Press 1958
Micallef, H. and W.H. Bannister: On a dinoflagellate bloom Plectodinium nucleovolvatum (Biech) causing ‘red water’ in Pieta Creek (Malta). Experientia 25, p. 655 (1969)
Pincemin, J.M.: Appearance of a red water with Cochlodinium sp. opposite Juan les Pins. Revue int. Océanogr. Méditerr. 13, 205–216 (1969)
Rounsefell, G. and A. Dragovich: Correlation between oceanographic factors and abundance of the Florida red tide, Gymnodinium breve (Davis) 1954–61. Bull. mar. sci. 16, 404–422 (1966)
Seliger, H.H., J.H. Carpenter, M. Loftus and W.D. McElroy: Mechanisms for the accumulation of high concentrations of dinoflagellates in a bioluminescent bay. Limnol. Oceanogr. 15, 234–245 (1970)
Trégouboff, G. and M. Rose: Manuel de planctonologie mediterranéenne, Tomes I and II. Paris: Centre National de la Récherche Scientifique 1957
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Communicated by J.H.S. Blaxter, Oban
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Fudge, H. The “red tides” of Malta. Mar. Biol. 39, 381–386 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00391941
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00391941