title: Driving factors of dinoflagellate cyst distribution in surface sediments of a Mediterranean lagoon with limited access to the sea.
abstract: Seasonal distribution of dinoflagellate cysts were studied at five surface sediment study stations in Ghar El Melh Lagoon (GML) (Tunisia) in relation to physicochemical parameters and phytoplankton abundance in the water column. At least sixteen dinocyst types were identified, dominated mainly by Protoperidinium spp., Scrippsiella trochoidea complex, Lingulodinum machaerophorum, Alexandrium spp. and Gymnodinium spp., along with many round brown cysts. Cyst abundance ranged from 0 to 229g-1dry sediment. No significant differences in cyst distribution were found among stations, though a significant variation was observed among seasons with cyst dominance in autumn. No significant variation was found between cyst abundance and the different abiotic factors monitored, neither in the water column (physicochemical parameters) nor in the sediment (% H2O). Low dinocyst abundance was consistent with the dominance of non-cyst-forming dinoflagellates in the GML water column.
authors: Université de Bourgogne Franche-Comté, Laboratoire de Chrono-Environnement, UMR CNRS 6249, France; Institut National des Sciences et Technologies de la Mer (INSTM), Laboratoire Milieu Marin, Centre la Goulette, Tunisia.
authors: Amel
authors: A
authors: Dhib
authors: Université de Bourgogne Franche-Comté, Laboratoire de Chrono-Environnement, UMR CNRS 6249, France; Institut National des Sciences et Technologies de la Mer (INSTM), Laboratoire Milieu Marin, Centre la Goulette, Tunisia; Institut Supérieur de Pêche et d'Aquaculture de Bizerte, Unité de recherche: Exploitation des Milieux Aquatiques, Errimel et Faculté des Sciences de Bizerte, Tunisia.
authors: Mouna
authors: M
authors: Fertouna-Bellakhal
authors: Institut National des Sciences et Technologies de la Mer (INSTM), Laboratoire Milieu Marin, Centre la Goulette, Tunisia.
authors: Souad
authors: S
authors: Turki
authors: Université de Bourgogne Franche-Comté, Laboratoire de Chrono-Environnement, UMR CNRS 6249, France. Electronic address: lotfi.aleya@univ-fcomte.fr.
authors: Lotfi
authors: L
authors: Aleya
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004141:Dinoflagellida / Q000145:classification / Q000254:growth & development*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry*; D008522:Mediterranean Sea; D010839:Phytoplankton / Q000145:classification / Q000254:growth & development*; D012621:Seasons; D012623:Seawater / Q000737:chemistry*; D014416:Tunisia
keywords: Abiotic factors; Dinoflagellate cysts; Ghar El Melh lagoon; Phytoplankton