Plankton Community in Marine Ecological Environment: Latest Advances and Prospects

Dear Colleagues,

The marine environment has recently experienced anthropogenic change such as global warming and engineering structure disturbance. Response of plankton that support marine resources are sensitive to this change and can serve as bio-indicators of marine systems' water quality and biotic integrity. In addition, plankton interact with each other actively in the marine food webs, and their interactions need to be defined to better understand plankton dynamics. This Special Issue aims to publish research focused on the taxonomic structure and ecology of plankton encompassing phyto-, zoo-plankton, heterotrophic bacteria, and protozoa at the levels from molecular to holistic ecosystem in the marine environment. Investigation of interaction between plankton themselves under natural or anthropogenic conditions is encouraged. Studies using molecular, stable isotopes and modeling analyses are especially encouraged.

Prof. Dr. Yongsik Sin
Prof. Dr. Genuario Belmonte
Guest Editors

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• bio-indicators
• planktonic interaction
• molecular
• stable isotope
• ecological modeling
• marine food webs

Title: Assessing the Black Sea Mesozooplankton Community Following the Nova Kakhovka Dam Breach
Authors: Elena Bisinicu1, Luminita Lazar2*
Affiliation: 1 Ecology and Marine Biology Department, National Institute for Marine Research and Development “Grigore Antipa”, 300 Mamaia Blvd., 900581 Constanta, Romania 2 Chemical Oceanography and Marine Pollution Department, National Institute for Marine Research and Development “Grigore Antipa”, 300 Mamaia Blvd., 900581 Constanta, Romania
Abstract: The collapse of the Nova Kakhovka dam in June 2023 released a substantial amount of freshwater into the Black Sea, raising concerns about its ecological impacts. This study examines the short-term effects on the mesozooplankton community and related environmental parameters. Samples were collected from the Romanian Black Sea coast in June and October 2023, and analyzed for species composition, abundance, biomass, as well as key environmental factors like salinity, temperature, and nutrient concentrations. Preliminary results indicate that species diversity was highest in June, with 20 taxa identified, which slightly decreased to 18 taxa by October. The ShannonWiener diversity indices were lower in June, suggesting poorer environmental conditions at several sampling sites. By October, these conditions improved, as indicated by higher diversity indices and a shift in community composition. In June, meroplankton was dominant, whereas copepods became more prevalent by October. Noctiluca scintillans, a harmful algal bloom (HAB) species known for its ecological impact, was particularly abundant in June, but its levels significantly decreased by October. These findings underscore the impact of environmental parameters on mesozooplankton dynamics and highlight the need for continued monitoring to assess long-term effects and develop effective management strategies for the marine ecosystem across different contexts.

Title: Siliceous plankton contribution to export flux in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea: a comparative study in the North Aegean, Cretan and Ionian Seas
Authors: Nikolopoulou (1,2), Skampa (1), Varkitzi (2), Dimiza (1), Parinos (2), Kabouri (2), Stavrakaki (2), Gogou (2), Triantaphyllou (1)
Affiliation: 1. National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Faculty of Geology and Geoenvironment, Panepistimioupolis, 15784, Athens, Greece 2. Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Institute of Oceanography, PO Box 712, 19013 Anavyssos, Greece Full paper submission date: September 30, 2024

Title: Spring microphytoplankton community structure in the Gulf of Aqaba and northern Red Sea
Authors: Mohsen M. El- Sherbiny1,2*, Shamji V. R3, Sathianeson Satheesh1
Affiliation: 1Department of Marine Biology, Faculty of Marine Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia 2Department of Marine Sciences, Faculty of Science, Suez Canal University, Ismailia 41522, Egypt 3Faculty of Maritime studies, King Abdulaziz University, P.O Box 80401, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Abstract: Phytoplankton community composition and species diversity in relation to various physico-chemical parameters were studied from the Gulf of Aqaba (GoA) and Northern Red Sea (NRS) during 17-23 March, 2018. Three stations from each of the region were selected and a water column depth from 5 to 200m were also focused. Water temperatures were significantly (p<0.05) lower at all GoA sites compared with NRS sites, and significantly (p<0.01) lower at all GoA depths than corresponding NRS depths. Salinity was significantly (p<0.01) different between sites with GoA higher than that of NRS. All sites exhibited well oxygenated (6.61 mg L-1±0.11) waters to depths of 200m. During the study period, ammonia displayed considerable spatial variation, while other inorganic nutrients such as nitrate, nitrite and silicate showed differences in their vertical distribution. The concentration of phosphate showed a uniform distribution throughout the study period. The NRS stations observed with almost uniform values for chlorophyll-a, whereas the GoA ones displayed decreasing tendency from south to north. The highest chlorophyll values recorded at each station were found in the deep chlorophyll maximum layer, located at a depth of 60-70 meters, among the six different depths analyzed. Phytoplankton density in the GoA region also followed a decreasing pattern from south to north, while the same obtained for the NRS stations showed minimal variations. Considerable numbers of microzooplankton as well as dinoflagellate cysts were also observed during the study period with the NRS stations were slightly ahead than the GoA ones in terms of their presence. Diatoms contributed significantly towards the total phytoplankton density of some stations, while dinoflagellates dominated marginally in some. Out of the total 180 different phytoplankton species observed, dinoflagellates contributed 100 species, diatoms 79 and the cyanophytes were represented by only one species. Within the species composition, six of them are considered new records to the Red Sea. The presence of five red tide causing dinoflagellates was also recorded during the current study.

Title: Plankton resting stages distribution in bottom sediments along the confinement gradient of the Taranto Sea System (Ionian Sea, Southern Italy)
Authors: Fernando Rubino; Giuseppe Denti; Manuela Belmonte; Genuario Belmonte
Affiliation: University of Salento
Abstract: The abundance distribution and species richness of encysted plankton have been investigated in the bottom sediments of the Taranto Marine System (southern Italy) for contributing to the understanding of plankton dynamics in a confined coastal area. This confined area is characterized by four contiguous basins with different degrees of confinement. The investigation was carried out in the fall season with the aim to intercept a period of rich cyst production from the plankton before overwintering. From the analysis of a total of 36 sediment samples, from 12 sample sites, the highest abundance of cysts and species richness were registered in the confined part of the system. A total of 103 cyst morphotypes have been recognized in the whole area, with highest abundances and taxa richness in the most confined stations. These results, suggesting a benthic-pekagic exchange of living matter, more intense in confined environments than in the open sea, highlight the necessity of including the analysis of sediment cyst banks in studies of plankton dynamics, and to consider the role of confined areas, where more variable environmental conditions justify the presence of planktonic biodiversity more in sediments than in water column.