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Salinity influence on the ecology of phytoflagellate blooms in lower new york bay and adjacent waters

1979; Elsevier BV; Volume: 37; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/0022-0981(79)90061-3

1879-1697

John B. Mahoney, John J. A. McLaughlin,

Marine Biology and Ecology Research

The possible rôle of salinity in phytoflagellate blooms in New York Harbor estuarine and oceanic waters was examined by culture studies of the dominant species. Massartia rotundata (Lohmann) Schiller (=Katodinium rotundatum (Lohmann) Loeblich III) grew best in the range 24–30‰, Olisthodiscus luteus Carter in the range 10–36‰, and Prorocentrum micans Ehrenberg in the range 27–36‰. The optimum ranges for all three species sufficiently match the characteristic bay-ocean range (17–32‰) to eliminate salinity tolerance as a major factor in bloom development. Laboratory simulation of the change from brackish-river to ocean water salinities, by culture preconditioning at 20‰ or at 30‰ before inoculation into a salinity gradient, shows stress effects on growth, especially in Massartia rotundata and Olisthodiscus luteus. It is speculated that salinity stress may temporarily affect the development of particular blooms of these two species.