Occurrence of brackish water phytoplankton species at a closed coral reef in Nansha Islands, South China Sea.
The phytoplankton assemblage of Zhubi Reef, a closed coral reef in Nansha Islands (South China Sea, SCS) was studied in June 2007. A total of 92 species belonging to 53 genera and four phyla have been identified. The dominant taxa in the lagoon were the diatom Chaetoceros and cyanobacteria Nostoc and Microcystis, while in reef flats were cyanobacteria Trichodesmium erythraeum, dinoflagellates Gymnodinium and Prorocentrum. The species richness and diversity were consistently lower in the lagoon than in reef flats. Classification and nMDS ordination also revealed significant dissimilarity in phytoplankton community structure between the reef flat and lagoon, with statistical difference in species composition and abundance between them (ANOSIM, p=0.025). Nutrient concentrations also spatially varied, with ammonium-enrichment in the lagoon, while high Si-concentration existed in reef flat areas. Both nutrient levels and currents in SCS may play important roles in determining the composition and distribution of microalgae in Zhubi Reef and SCS.
Shen
Ping-Ping
PP
Key Laboratory of Marine-Bioresources Sustainable Utilization, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China.
Tan
Ye-Hui
YH
Huang
Liang-Min
LM
Zhang
Jian-Lin
JL
Yin
Jian-Qiang
JQ
D018533:Biomass; D002734:Chlorophyll / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D000077194:Chlorophyll A; D057894:Coral Reefs; D003710:Demography; D017753:Ecosystem; D005843:Geography; D058865:Introduced Species; D010140:Pacific Ocean; D010839:Phytoplankton / Q000145:classification / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry*
D014867:Water; D002734:Chlorophyll; D000077194:Chlorophyll A