Species diversity and community structure of phytoplankton in the Velikaya Salma Strait (Kandalaksha Bay, White Sea) in 2021

Abstract

The species diversity and community structure of phytoplankton in the Velikaya Salma Strait (Kandalaksha Bay, the White Sea) were investigated from May to September 2021. A total of 128 algal taxa were identified, comprised of diatoms (80% of the total phytoplankton species number), dinophytes (15%), cyanobacteria (3%), ochrophytes (1%) and cercozoans (1%). The phytoplankton abundance varied from 1.84х106 cells/m3 (in August) to 23.27х106 cells/m3 (in July); phytoplankton biomass varied from 31.4 mg/m3 (in May) to 246.7 mg /m3 (in July). Diatoms was the dominant group in terms of quantity and biomass, one dinophyte species, Sсrippsiella acuminata, was dominant in terms of quantity too.