Submit to JMSE Review for JMSE Propose a Special Issue

Journal Menu

Journal Browser

Phytoplankton Dynamics and Biogeochemistry of Marine Ecosystems

Print Special Issue Flyer
Special Issue Editors
Special Issue Information
Published Papers

A special issue of Journal of Marine Science and Engineering (ISSN 2077-1312). This special issue belongs to the section "Marine Ecology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 October 2023) | Viewed by 10691

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Vladimir Silkin

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Southern Branch, Krasnodar Region, Gelendzik, Russia
Interests: phytoplankton ecology; biological carbon pump; pelagic ecosystem; climate change
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The ocean plays an important role in the formation of the planet's climate due to the functioning of the biological carbon pump (BCP), which is based on the primary production of the ecosystem. The composition of phytoplankton and its growth rate determines the type and intensity of the functioning of the BCP. For example, when diatoms dominate, an organic pump plays a decisive role, and when coccolithophores bloom, the carbonate pump makes the main contribution. The growth rate of phytoplankton depends on abiotic factors, among which the nutrient concentration is fundamental. At the same time, phytoplankton determines the biogeochemistry of the ocean. Thus, there is a close relationship between phytoplankton and ocean biogeochemistry, and this relationship manifests itself both in seasonal dynamics and in long-term trends. It is obvious that without understanding the relationship between phytoplankton dynamics and ocean biogeochemistry, it is impossible to predict future climate change. The proposed Special Issue of the journal is devoted to the important topic "Phytoplankton dynamics and biogeochemistry of marine ecosystems" and we invite researchers to post their original or review articles in it. It would be interesting to see articles devoted to research methods in this area. The main topics of the proposed issue can be designated as follows:

Seasonal dynamics of phytoplankton;
Long-term dynamics of phytoplankton;
Biogeochemistry of marine ecosystems;
Relationship of phytoplankton dynamics and biogeochemistry.

However, the proposed topics are not strict boundaries and do not limit the authors in choosing a topic.

Dr. Vladimir Silkin
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Published Papers (9 papers)

Download All Papers

Order results

Result details

Show export options Show export options

Select all

Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

16 pages, 5042 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Phytoplankton Dynamics and Biogeochemistry: Model Studies

by Vladimir Silkin, Alexander Abakumov, Nikolay Esin, Larisa Pautova, Anna Lifanchuk and Alexey Fedorov

J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2024, 12(1), 178; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse12010178 - 17 Jan 2024

Viewed by 633

Abstract

The seasonal dynamics of the NE Black Sea phytoplankton follow the following pattern: small diatoms (spring) → coccolithophorid Emiliania huxleyi (late spring–early summer) → large diatoms (summer). Our hypothesis states that nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations regulate the seasonal phytoplankton dynamics. A minimum number of parameters is enough to understand the mechanisms of dominant species change. Based on the concept of intracellular regulation, the following parameters were evaluated: the minimum nitrogen and phosphorus quotas; half-saturation constants for nitrogen and phosphorus uptake; the maximum specific growth rate of the dominant phytoplankton species. Computational experiments on the model show the following: (1) in spring, a species with a high maximum specific growth rate becomes dominant; (2) in late spring and early summer, a species with a low minimum nitrogen quota and a low half-saturation constant for nitrogen uptake is observed; (3) in summer, a low minimum phosphorus quota and a low half-saturation constant for phosphorus uptake allow the species to become dominant. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytoplankton Dynamics and Biogeochemistry of Marine Ecosystems)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

13 pages, 5805 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Seasonal Variability of Dissolved Methane in the Shallow Coastal Zone: The Case Study of the Golubaya Bay, Northeastern Part of the Black Sea

by Elena S. Izhitskaya, Alexander V. Egorov and Peter O. Zavialov

J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2023, 11(12), 2284; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse11122284 - 01 Dec 2023

Viewed by 667

Abstract

The variability of the dissolved methane content in coastal zones is an important component of the biogeochemical cycle in the marine ecosystem. The objective of this study is to investigate the seasonal variability of dissolved methane distribution in the aerobic shallow coastal zone through the example of the small bay in the northeastern Black Sea. This study is based on the direct observations carried out during a long-term monitoring program conducted in the bay from 1999 to 2016. The seasonal and inter-annual variability of the dissolved methane pattern is considered under the climatic conditions as well as under the influence of extreme flood. The seasonal range of the dissolved methane content variability in the shallow part of the northeastern Black Sea is 1–2 orders of magnitude higher compared with the areas remote from the coast. The dissolved methane content in Golubaya Bay in summer is an order of magnitude higher than the winter values. In particular, local methane maxima located near the river and stream mouths and in the central bottom part of the bay have a well-shown seasonal cycle. The extreme flood conditions observed in July 2012 resulted in high methane concentrations 2 months after the flood event, when the surface concentrations of the dissolved CH₄ exceeded the equilibrium with the atmospheric values by a factor of 400. The obtained results provide a unique opportunity to estimate the scale of the biogeochemical processes in marine coastal environments under the influence of climatic and extreme conditions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytoplankton Dynamics and Biogeochemistry of Marine Ecosystems)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

27 pages, 5532 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Sea Ice as a Factor of Primary Production in the European Arctic: Phytoplankton Size Classes and Carbon Fluxes

by Elena Kudryavtseva, Marina Kravchishina, Larisa Pautova, Igor Rusanov, Dmitry Glukhovets, Alexander Shchuka, Ivan Zamyatin, Nadezhda Torgunova, Anna Chultsova, Nadezhda Politova and Alexander Savvichev

J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2023, 11(11), 2131; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse11112131 - 08 Nov 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 750

Abstract

The seasonally ice-covered marine region of the European Arctic has experienced warming and sea ice loss in the last two decades. During expeditions in August 2020 and 2021, new data on size-fractioned primary production (PP), chlorophyll a concentration, phytoplankton biomass and composition and carbon fixation rates in the dark were obtained in the marginal ice zone (MIZ) of the Barents Sea, Nansen Basin and Greenland Sea to better understand the response of Arctic ecosystems to ongoing climate changes. Four different situations were observed in the study region: (i) a bloom of the large-cell diatom Podosira glacialis, whose biomass was trapped in a strong halocline at the edge of a dense ice cover; (ii) a bloom of the chain-like colonies of Thalassiosira diatoms on the shelf in mixed waters in fields of shallow ice that could be supported by “fresh” elements in the polynya condition, as well as by terrestrial run-off and drifting ices; at the late stage, this bloom was accompanied by intensive growth of Phaeocystis pouchetti; (iii) dominance of small-cell phytoplankton under weakened stratification and the significant influence of the Atlantic water, depleted of microelements and silicates; (iv) dominance of dinoflagellates of eutrophic water in the contact zone between the water masses of Arctic origin and Atlantic origin in clear water under conditions of increased light intensity. The >10 µm phytoplankton cell size group increased its relative contribution to PP as a response to stratification, light and nutrient load associated with sea ice conditions. Small phytoplankton with sizes < 2 µm formed the basis of total PP in the MIZ regardless of the state of the sea ice. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytoplankton Dynamics and Biogeochemistry of Marine Ecosystems)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

36 pages, 8661 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Pronounced Seasonal and Spatial Variability in Determinants of Phytoplankton Biomass Dynamics along a Near–Offshore Gradient in the Southern North Sea

by Viviana Otero, Steven Pint, Klaas Deneudt, Maarten De Rijcke, Jonas Mortelmans, Lennert Schepers, Patricia Martin-Cabrera, Koen Sabbe, Wim Vyverman, Michiel Vandegehuchte and Gert Everaert

J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2023, 11(8), 1510; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse11081510 - 29 Jul 2023

Viewed by 926

Abstract

Marine phytoplankton biomass dynamics are affected by eutrophication, ocean warming, and ocean acidification. These changing abiotic conditions may impact phytoplankton biomass and its spatiotemporal dynamics. In this study, we used a nutrient–phytoplankton–zooplankton (NPZ) model to quantify the relative importance of the bottom-up and top-down determinants of phytoplankton biomass dynamics in the Belgian part of the North Sea (BPNS). Using four years (2014–2017) of monthly observations of nutrients, solar irradiance, sea surface temperature, chlorophyll-a, and zooplankton biomass at ten locations, we disentangled the monthly, seasonal, and yearly variation in phytoplankton biomass dynamics. To quantify how the relative importance of determinants changed along a near–offshore gradient, the analysis was performed for three spatial regions, i.e., the nearshore region (<10 km to the coastline), the midshore region (10–30 km), and the offshore region (>30 km). We found that, from year 2014 to 2017, the phytoplankton biomass dynamics ranged from 1.4 to 23.1 mg Chla m⁻³. Phytoplankton biomass dynamics follow a general seasonal cycle, as is the case in other temperate regional seas, with a distinct spring bloom (5.3–23.1 mg Chla m⁻³) and a modest autumn bloom (2.9–5.4 mg Chla m⁻³). This classic bimodal bloom pattern was not observed between 2003 and 2010 in the BPNS. The seasonal pattern was most expressed in the nearshore region. The relative contribution of factors determining phytoplankton biomass dynamics varied spatially and temporally. Throughout a calendar year, solar irradiance and zooplankton grazing were the most influential determinants in all regions, i.e., they jointly explained 38–65% of the variation in the offshore region, 45–71% in the midshore region, and 56–77% in the nearshore region. In the near- and midshore regions, nutrients were the greatest limit on phytoplankton production in the month following the spring bloom (44–55%). Nutrients were a determinant throughout the year in the offshore region (27–62%). During winter, sea surface temperature was a determinant in all regions (15–17%). By the high-resolution spatiotemporal analysis of the relative contributions of different determinants, this study contributes to a better mechanistic understanding of the spatiotemporal dynamics of phytoplankton biomass in the southern North Sea. This detailed understanding is anticipated to contribute to the definition of targeted management strategies for the BPNS and to support sustainable development in Belgium’s blue economy. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytoplankton Dynamics and Biogeochemistry of Marine Ecosystems)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

18 pages, 1751 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Phytoplankton Dynamics and Biogeochemistry of the Black Sea

by Vladimir Silkin, Larisa Pautova, Oleg Podymov, Valeryi Chasovnikov, Anna Lifanchuk, Alexey Fedorov and Agnislava Kluchantseva

J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2023, 11(6), 1196; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse11061196 - 09 Jun 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1190

Abstract

The biogeochemistry of waters is an essential regulator of phytoplankton dynamics, determining the level of species bloom and the change in dominants. This paper investigated the seasonal dynamics of phytoplankton and the nutrient concentrations and their ratios in the northeastern Black Sea in 2017–2021. Two taxonomic groups, diatoms and coccolithophores, determine the seasonal dynamics and significantly contribute to the total phytoplankton biomass. Coccolithophores formed blooms in early June annually, except in 2020. Large diatoms dominated in summer with a biomass exceeding 1000 mg m⁻³ annually, except in 2019. During the blooms of these taxonomic groups, their contribution to the total phytoplankton biomass exceeded 90%. Each group has characteristic biogeochemical niches in the nitrogen and phosphorus concentration coordinates. The position of the seasonal thermocline regulates the biogeochemistry of the water. With a high-lying and sharp gradient thermocline (the average for five years is 6.87 m), low nitrogen concentrations and a nitrogen-to-phosphorus ratio below the Redfield ratio are created in the upper mixed layer. These conditions are optimal for the dominance of coccolithophores. When the thermocline is deepened (the average for five years is 17.96 m), the phosphorus concentration decreases significantly and the ratio of nitrogen to phosphorus is significantly higher than the Redfield ratio, and these conditions lead to the dominance of large diatoms. The results of experimental studies with nitrogen and phosphorus additives in the natural phytoplankton population confirm the above statements. The addition of phosphorus leads to the increased role of coccolithophores in the total phytoplankton biomass, the addition of nitrogen alone contributes to the growth of large diatoms, and the combined addition of phosphorus and nitrogen in a ratio close to the Redfield ratio leads to the dominance of small diatoms. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytoplankton Dynamics and Biogeochemistry of Marine Ecosystems)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

14 pages, 4621 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Changes in the Composition of Bloom-Forming Toxic Pseudo-nitzschia Diatoms in Surface Waters in Ussuri Bay, Northwestern Sea of Japan, during the Autumn Seasons of 2017–2022

by Inna V. Stonik and Anton A. Zinov

J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2023, 11(5), 1024; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse11051024 - 11 May 2023

Viewed by 1547

Abstract

Diatoms of the genus Pseudo-nitzschia are producers of the neurotoxin domoic acid that causes serious damage to marine fauna and aquaculture farms. These microalgae are known as the most abundant group of toxic phytoplankton in Peter the Great Bay, Northwestern Sea of Japan, during the bloom season, which, as was previously reported for members of this group in the study region, lasts in the autumn months. Autumnal blooms of toxic diatoms Pseudo-nitzschia spp. were studied in the period from 2017 to 2022 in Ussuri Bay, the largest body of water in Peter the Great Bay, which harbors numerous recreational area and aquaculture farms. As a result, the following changes in the composition of bloom-forming species were recorded: blooms were caused by the Pseudo-nitzschia delicatissima group in the period from 2017 to 2020 and by P. multistriata in 2021–2022. An assumption has been made that one of the factors responsible for blooms of P. multistriata, known as one of the most widespread species in Asian warm-water areas, is an abnormally high water temperature in the autumn of 2021 in the study area. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytoplankton Dynamics and Biogeochemistry of Marine Ecosystems)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

16 pages, 3029 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Seasonal and Long-Term Phytoplankton Dynamics in the Middle Caspian According to Satellite Data and In Situ Observations in the First Decades of the 21st Century

by Sergey V. Vostokov, Larisa A. Pautova, Inna V. Sahling, Anastasia S. Vostokova, Alimurad A. Gadzhiev, Guy Petherbridge, Evgeny N. Lobachev, Behrooz Abtahi and Mehdi Ghodrati Shojaei

J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2023, 11(5), 957; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse11050957 - 30 Apr 2023

Viewed by 1278

Abstract

Seasonal and long-term variability of phytoplankton in the Middle Caspian was studied based on remote sensing data of the sea by SeaWiFS and MODIS-Aqua scanners in 1998–2021 and the results of field observations in 2004–2021. The seasonal variability of chlorophyll “a” (CHL) calculated from satellite data using a regional algorithm indicated that the autumn and winter seasons were the main phytoplankton production periods of the year. In summer, a period of stagnation was observed in phytoplankton growth in the surface layer. However, according to satellite data in the first months of each year, winter blooms were observed recurrently in the Middle Caspian Sea, as confirmed by the results of field observations in 2004–2021. The phytoplankton biomass during the winter vegetation period reached 4.5–5.0 g/m³. In the first decade of the century (2004–2006), winter blooms were almost entirely (as much as 96%) formed through the mass growth of the alien diatom Cerataulina pelagica. In the modern period (2021), the winter bloom was formed both by three endemic diatom species Thalassionema nitzschioides, Cyclotella comta and Dactyliosolen fragilissimus and by two alien species Pseudo-nitzschia seriata and Cerataulina pelagica. In spring, the diatom Cyclotella caspia and the dinoflagellate Prorocentrum micans, both endemics, dominated. In summer, the phytoplankton biomass was composed of the mass growth of small flagellates and dinoflagellates in the seasonal thermocline layer, which current remote sensing methods cannot record. The diatoms’ contribution to the community’s total biomass in summer did not exceed 3%. In the autumn phytoplankton, the main role was played by a diatom component represented by alien species, mainly Chaetoceros peruvianus. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytoplankton Dynamics and Biogeochemistry of Marine Ecosystems)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

14 pages, 2038 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Phytoplankton Seasonal Dynamics under Conditions of Climate Change and Anthropogenic Pollution in the Western Coastal Waters of the Black Sea (Sevastopol Region)

by Lyudmyla Stelmakh, Nelya Kovrigina and Tatiana Gorbunova

J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2023, 11(3), 569; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse11030569 - 07 Mar 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1329

Abstract

The studies of seasonal phytoplankton dynamics, its growth rate, and microzooplankton grazing were conducted on two stations in the western Black Sea coastal waters near Sevastopol from January 2021 to December 2022. The phytoplankton species composition has remained relatively the same during recent years compared to the end of the last century and the beginning of the 2000s. However, significant changes have occurred in the ratio between different species of diatoms, and the proportion of dinoflagellates was increased, especially in the autumn. Large diatoms and dinoflagellates play a crucial role in forming the phytoplankton biomass seasonal peaks. The first central maximum was observed in July, and the second smaller one was in September–November. Whereas two decades ago, the small diatoms generated three peaks annually: in February, May, and September–October. The maximum values of the phytoplankton growth rate and the rate of its consumption by microzooplankton decreased 2–3 times compared to the beginning of the 2000s. The relative share of primary production consumed by microzooplankton annually averages 35%, two times lower than before. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytoplankton Dynamics and Biogeochemistry of Marine Ecosystems)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

22 pages, 3437 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Phytoplankton of the High-Latitude Arctic: Intensive Growth Large Diatoms Porosira glacialis in the Nansen Basin

by Larisa Pautova, Vladimir Silkin, Marina Kravchishina, Alexey Klyuvitkin, Elena Kudryavtseva, Dmitry Glukhovets, Anna Chultsova and Nadezhda Politova

J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2023, 11(2), 453; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse11020453 - 18 Feb 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1521

Abstract

In August 2020, during a dramatical summer retreat of sea ice in the Nansen Basin, a study of phytoplankton was conducted on the transect from two northern stations in the marginal ice zone (MIZ) (north of 83° N m and east of 38° E) through the open water to the southern station located in the Franz Victoria Trench. The presence of melted polar surface waters (mPSW), polar surface waters (PSW), and Atlantic waters (AW) were characteristic of the MIZ. There are only two water masses in open water, namely PSW and AW, at the southernmost station; the contribution of AW was minimal. In the MIZ, first-year and multiyear ice species and Atlantic species were noted; Atlantic species and first-year ice species were in open water, and only ice flora was at the southernmost station. The maximum phytoplankton biomass (30 g · m⁻³) was recorded at the northernmost station of the MIZ, and 99% of the phytoplankton consisted of a large diatom Porosira glacialis. Intensive growth of this species occurred on the subsurface halocline separating mPSW from PSW. A thermocline was formed in open water south of the MIZ towards the Franz Victoria Trench. A strong stratification decreases vertical nutrient fluxes, so phytoplankton biomass decreases significantly. Phytoplankton formed the maximum biomass in the thermocline. When moving south, biomass decreased and its minimum values were observed at the southernmost station where the influence of AW is minimal or completely absent. A transition from the silicon-limited state of phytoplankton (MIZ area) to nitrogen-limited (open water) was noted. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytoplankton Dynamics and Biogeochemistry of Marine Ecosystems)

► Show Figures

Journal Menu

Journal Browser

Phytoplankton Dynamics and Biogeochemistry of Marine Ecosystems

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editor

Special Issue Information

Published Papers (9 papers)

Research

Further Information

Guidelines

MDPI Initiatives

Follow MDPI