Lisbon Bay Research Articles

Phytoplankton communities in two wide-open bays in the Iberian upwelling system

The main meteorological and oceanographic drivers shaping phytoplankton community structure and dynamics are investigated in two wide-open bays influenced by coastal upwelling. Local processes influencing the proliferation of harmful algal bloom species were also investigated. The work was developed during one year in Lisbon Bay (central-west coast) and in Lagos Bay (south coast), both located on the upwelling shadow of prominent headlands. In both bays, the results indicated a bi-modal annual pattern in phytoplankton biomass, and phytoplankton concentration maxima, between spring and late-summer, were associated with high diatom abundances. In Lagos Bay, higher dinoflagellate abundances were observed from spring to autumn, while in Lisbon Bay these were recorded from late-summer to autumn. The coccolithophores were a frequent group all year round in Lisbon Bay, which contrasts with Lagos Bay where they were the least frequent group. The phytoplankton community structure showed significant spatial and seasonal differences. The community succession pattern indicated the existence of four biological seasons in Lisbon Bay and at the offshore site in Lagos Bay. By contrast, the nearshore site in Lagos Bay was characterized by having no significant differences between summer and autumn. Differences in HAB species/groups were also observed between the bays. In general, HABs occurred at higher concentrations and were more persistent in Lagos Bay.In both bays, winter assemblages were influenced by water column mixing processes, although precipitation was also relevant in Lagos. Upwelling was a key driver of the spring phytoplankton community in Lagos Bay, while in Lisbon Bay other factors seemed to drive the spring phytoplankton assemblages. Both summer and autumn communities were related to thermal stratification. In autumn, the occurrence of reversal circulation patterns also played an important role in shaping the phytoplankton communities, especially in Lagos Bay. Overall, this study revealed differences on phytoplankton community patterns in two wide-open bays, shaped by the local environmental variables.

Characterizing phytoplankton biomass seasonal cycles in two NE Atlantic coastal bays

The seasonal and interannual variability of chlorophyll a was studied between 2008 and 2016 in two coastal bays located in the northeastern limit of the Iberia/Canary upwelling ecosystem. The work aims (i) to understand if small latitudinal distances and/or coastline orientation can promote different chlorophyll a seasonal cycles; and (ii) to investigate if different meteorological and oceanographic variables can explain the differences observed on seasonal cycles. Results indicate three main biological seasons with different patterns in the two studied bays. A uni-modal pattern with a short early summer maximum and relatively low chlorophyll a concentration characterized the westernmost sector of the South coast, while a uni-modal pattern characterized by high biomass over a long period, slightly higher in spring than in summer, and high chlorophyll a concentration characterized the central West coast. Comparisons made between satellite estimates of chlorophyll a and in situ data in one of the bays revealed some important differences, namely the overestimation of concentrations and the anticipation of the beginning and end time of the productive period by satellite. Cross-correlation analyses were performed for phytoplankton biomass and different meteorological and oceanographic variables (SST, PAR, UI, MLD and precipitation) using different time lags to identify the drivers that promote the growth and the high levels of phytoplankton biomass. PAR contributed to the increase of phytoplankton biomass observed during winter/mid-spring, while upwelling and SST were the main explanatory drivers to the high Chl-a concentrations observed in late-spring/summer. Zonal transport was the variable that contributed most to the phytoplankton biomass during late-spring/summer in Lisbon Bay, while the meridional transport combined with SST was more important in Lagos Bay.

Ocurrence of Ostreopsis in two temperate coastal bays (SW iberia): Insights from the plankton

The benthic genus Ostreopsis contains toxic-bloom forming species and is an important cause of concern in warm-temperate and tropical waters. On the coast of Portugal, NE Atlantic, the occurrence of Ostreopsis cf. siamensis and Ostreopsis cf. ovata has been reported since 2008 and 2011, respectively. This work aims to understand the favorable conditions for high concentrations of Ostreopsis cells in the plankton at two sites, Lagos and Lisbon Bays, located in the South and West coast of Portugal, respectively. This study is based on weekly Ostreopsis abundance data in the plankton, from 2011 to 2017, daily satellite and in situ sea surface temperature (SST), and meteorological and sea state parameters, namely wind stress and significant wave height. The molecular identification of local Ostreopsis spp. is also presented. The maximum cell densities occur between late-summer and autumn. The distribution range of Ostreopsis cf. ovata is restricted to the South coast, while Ostreopsis cf. siamensis has a wider distribution range, being also present on the West coast. In the study period, there was only one occurrence of Ostreopsis spp., in Lagos Bay, with concentrations within the alert phase of monitoring. In Lagos Bay, high Ostreopsis spp. concentrations were related with positive SST anomalies. These high concentrations were often recorded after a period of almost 2-weeks to more than 4-weeks of low sea state (<0.6 m), followed by short time events of onshore wind and moderate waves (0.6–1 m). The former conditions are interpreted as favoring bloom development on the substrate and the latter as causing the re-suspension of Ostreopsis cells in the water column. In Lisbon Bay, O. cf. siamensis occurred in the plankton in few occasions and no clear relation could be established with the studied environmental variables. It is here hypothesized that the recent records of O. cf. siamensis in Lisbon Bay may correspond to an early colonization stage of an invasion process. Knowledge gained on Ostreopsis dynamics along the Portuguese coast can be used for both the improvement of benthic harmful algal blooms (BHABs) monitoring in the region and as a basis to design forecasting models.

Viral and bacterial contamination in recreational waters: a case study in the Lisbon bay area

To assess the presence of viral pathogens in bathing water samples and to evaluate the interdependency of bacterial indicator counts and viral detection. Bathing water samples of 16 beaches collected along a Portuguese Coastal area were screened for the hepatitis A virus (HAV) and norovirus genogroup I (NVGI) using RT-PCR technique. Bacteriological water quality was also assessed, according to European regulations. HAV and NVGI were detected in 95% and 27% of the water samples, respectively, whereas bacteriological quality was good in all but one sample, according to current water quality regulations. All water samples would be considered of excellent quality according to the most recent European regulations. No relationship between viral detection and regulatory-based bacterial indicators was found. The current results reinforce the importance of increased surveillance for pathogenic viruses in bathing waters.

Can Pseudo-nitzschia blooms be modeled by coastal upwelling in Lisbon Bay?

Marine planktonic diatoms of the genus Pseudo-nitzschia Peragallo have been responsible for amnesic shellfish poisoning (ASP) events worldwide through the production of the neurotoxin domoic acid (DA). In order to better understand the dynamics of the toxic events of Pseudo-nitzschia there is the need to describe their seasonal and spatial patterns. The main goal of this work is to establish the relation between a physical variable easily measured like coastal upwelling and the presence of Pseudo-nitzschia blooms, in Lisbon Bay. Phytoplankton samples were collected once a week from June 2001 to May 2005 and daily upwelling index were calculated based on values of geostrophic winds. Data of sea surface temperature, upwelling index, and Pseudo-nitzschia concentrations were used to construct statistical models to evaluate the seasonal variation and the relation between all parameters. Due to the nature of the time series involved in the study, it was applied the Zero-Inflated Generalized Poisson Regression Model. An initial spectral analysis was applied to the upwelling data in order to accurately understand the characteristics of the coastal upwelling. The results obtained indicate a close relation between upwelling events and Pseudo-nitzschia blooms which occurred during spring and summer. The mathematical model that describes Pseudo-nitzschia blooms in Lisbon Bay shows a lag of 4–6 days between the upwelling events and the presence of Pseudo-nitzschia in the monitoring station.

Summer diatom and dinoflagellate blooms in Lisbon Bay from 2002 to 2005: Pre-conditions inferred from wind and satellite data

Sea surface temperature (SST) and chlorophyll ( Chl) maps derived from satellite data, together with wind and phytoplankton cell concentration time-series, are used to characterize the wind forcing and the spatio-temporal SST/ Chl variability for periods preceding the summer (June–September) diatom and dinoflagellate blooms. The blooms (concentrations of cells higher than 200 × 10 3 cells l - 1 ) were identified in the weekly samples collected at the long-term phytoplankton study site in Lisbon Bay, from 2002 to 2005. It is shown that bloom detection at the site occurs either during upwelling events, i.e. when offshore northerly wind speed is greater than 5 m s - 1 for more than 5 days, or up to 4 days after wind relaxation. However, no direct relationship was found between the blooms and either the intensity or duration of the wind pulses. The satellite image sequences show that the Chl patterns in Lisbon Bay are strongly linked to the orientation and branching of the upwelling filament rooted at Cape Roca and the westward progression of the warm-core cyclones shed from the slope off Setúbal Bay. High Chl values are typically maintained throughout the upwelling cycle along the inshore boundary of the Roca filament, covering the whole bay during the intense wind phase. During the relaxation phase, there is a Chl increase concurrent with the contraction of the high Chl area to the northern part of the bay, associated with an inshore poleward current. It is proposed that the earlier setup of the offshore stratification conditions and the shedding of a slope eddy favored the bloom of dinoflagellates in July 2004, while the stable position of the main circulation features in July 2002 favored a diatom bloom. The results add further evidence that, in summer, the ocean circulation in the embayments south Cape Roca is dominated by the upwelling dynamics and plays a key role in the development of phytoplankton blooms off central Portugal.

TEM identification of Pseudo-nitzschia species from Lisbon Bay (NE Atlantic)

AbstractSeveral species of the chain-forming marine diatom genus Pseudo-nitzschia produce domoic acid (DA), a neuroexcitant amino acid, responsible for a human amnesic syndrome after consumption of toxified shellfish (ASP). Since 1995, the Portuguese monitoring program has regularly detected the presence of DA in shellfish. So far only P. australis has been implicated, and references therein. Identification of the causative species of Pseudo-nitzchia in natural samples is hampered by difficulties in identification at the light microscope level. Recent studies have shown that ultrastructural details of the wall, observed by transmission electron microscopy, allow the identification of species in good agreement with the phylogenetic and biological species concept.

Composition and interannual variability of phytoplankton in a coastal upwelling region (Lisbon Bay, Portugal)

From July 2001 to May 2005, at a fixed station located in Lisbon Bay (Cascais: 38° 41′ N, 09° 24′ W), surface seawater samples were collected on a weekly basis. We aimed to describe at different temporal scales, short-term to interannual, the phytoplankton community in relation to hydrographic conditions. Maxima of the main phytoplankton groups varied according to the seasonality of upwelling/downwelling cycles and nutrient availability and were associated with particular hydrological mesoscale structures highlighted by satellite images. Short succession cycles were identified dependent on coastal upwelling events. Intermittent and weak pulses allowed the coexistence of species from different succession stages and groups, although having consecutive maxima. The interannual differences observed in the phytoplankton community, in Lisbon Bay, varied according to both the duration and strength of the upwelling events and to precipitation and Tagus river flow regimes. Diatoms developed and were dominant, during spring–summer under prevailing upwelling conditions and silicon availability. Short upwelling pulses appeared to be unfavourable for diatoms maintenance. When upwelling weakened and SST increased due to onshore advection of warmer waters, coccolithophores dominated. This assemblage was the second most abundant during the study, in particular during the short transition period from upwelling (summer) to downwelling seasons (autumn) distributing in the largest range of hydrographical conditions between diatoms (maximum turbulence) during early spring and dinoflagellates (maximum stratification) during summer to further dominate during autumn and winter. Nitrites and nitrates seemed to favour greater developments of this group. Dinoflagellates peaked mainly during summer and were the less abundant through the four years due to the decrease of lasting convergence periods. Like coccolithophores, a preference for warmer waters emerged but this group seemed to have a narrow tolerance to turbulence and temperature changes.

Calcidiscus quadriperforatus and Calcidiscus leptoporus as oceanographic tracers in Lisbon Bay (Portugal)

A study of the Calcidiscus genus in Lisbon Bay has revealed the presence of Calcidiscus quadriperforatus and Calcidiscus leptoporus. Samples were collected continuously on a weekly basis for four years (July 2001–May 2005) and on a cruise carried out in summer 2005, covering Lisbon Bay. Calcidiscus quadriperforatus and C. leptoporus developed in the same range of temperature and salinity, 11.5–21.5 °C and 26.9–36.3, respectively. The two species seemed to respond independently but had a co-occurring seasonal pattern nearshore, developing in different concentrations throughout the seasons. The maxima of both species occurred in low turbulent and nutrient enriched waters, which was also favourable for the development of larger coccospheres of C. quadriperforatus. The concentrations of both species decreased from 2001 until 2005, due to the intensification and persistence of upwelling and rainy periods. From late autumn until winter, mixed populations were observed nearshore, largely dominated by Calcidiscus quadriperforatus, in colder and nutrient enriched waters, while during spring, when temperatures begin to increase, only Calcidiscus leptoporus was observed, in mature upwelled waters. Calcidiscus quadriperforatus was considered more opportunistic than C. leptoporus. The availability of nutrients seemed to have influenced the size increase of C. quadriperforatus coccospheres. Both species developed offshore during summer, when the shelf is occupied by colder turbulent upwelled waters. A short downwelling episode in summer 2005, associated with two counter-rotating mesoscale eddies, responsible for a strong north-eastward flow of warm oceanic waters into the bay, allowed the development of C. quadriperforatus nearshore. Contemporary satellite images revealed the presence and onshore displacement of these waters and C. quadriperforatus and C. leptoporus distribution highlighted these conditions. The development of each species nearshore also gave indications of local oceanographic changes during winter and spring.

Coccolithophores in the upwelling waters of Portugal: Four years of weekly distribution in Lisbon bay

From July 2001 to May 2005, seawater samples were collected once a week at a fixed station in Lisbon bay (38°41′N, 09°24′W) in order to describe the ecological dynamics of the coccolithophore community. The seasonal and interannual distribution patterns of the different species and their relationships with environmental parameters are addressed. The present work aimed to identify potential proxies for different local water bodies and environmental conditions. Throughout the period of study, the upwelling events were weak and progressively more persistent. High sea surface temperatures (SST) were observed earlier in the year; summers and winters were gradually warmer and colder, respectively. Salinity variations reflected the different weather conditions as they are strongly influenced by rainfall and thus by the Tagus river flow. The extended periods of weak upwelling and the overall increase in SST resulted in the development of phytoplankton populations as measured by chlorophyll a. However, the persistence of the upwelling, and thus shorter convergence periods, favoured other phytoplankton groups than coccolithophore populations as these decreased towards the end of the sampling period. The annual structure of the coccolithophore assemblage showed a pronounced and recurrent seasonal variability, mainly related with the intensity and persistence of upwelling. The highest cell densities were recorded from spring to autumn. An overall preference by most species for mature upwelled waters and low turbulent conditions was observed associated with high temperatures and salinities, although the species develop in different windows with mismatching maxima. The coccolithophores observed were capable of withstanding coastal processes such as turbulence and were well adapted to an environment rich in nutrients provided by both continental runoff and upwelling. The consistency of the results enabled local oceanographic tracers to be defined. Emiliania huxleyi and Gephyrocapsa species can be used as proxies of surface productivity waters during spring and summer while Coccolithus pelagicus indicates the presence of upwelling fronts. Calcidiscus leptoporus is a tracer of the convergence of subtropical oceanic waters onto the shelf, during winter while Coronosphaera mediterranea, Syracosphaera pulchra, Helicosphaera carteri and Rhabdosphaera clavigera revealed the presence of those waters during the short period that characterized the transition from upwelling to downwelling seasons.

Short-time scale variation of phytoplankton succession in Lisbon bay (Portugal) as revealed by microscopy cell counts and HPLC pigment analysis

The phytoplankton distribution and composition in Lisbon bay was studied, at a short time scale based on a weekly sampling, during one year (April 2004 – May 2005), using microscopic examination and pigment analysis with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). This work is a contribution to the knowledge on species succession and ecology of coastal communities. The frequency of the sampling permitted monitoring peak blooming and decaying, a process which frequently occurred within 1 –2 weeks. Cell counts determined that the classes Dinophyceae, Bacillariophyceae and Prymnesiophyceae dominated the assemblages. Maxima abundances and diversity of phytoplankton were observed from spring to autumn. HPLC analysis reflected the major seasonal variations observed by the cell counts and in addition detected the presence of four small sized phytoplankton classes that were not identified by microscopy. Phytoplankton counts were essential to identify the main contributing species to total chlorophyll a. Fucoxantin, peridinin and 19′-hexanoyloxyfucoxanthin appeared as good indicators for diatoms, dinoflagellates and coccolithophores, respectively, with synchronized seasonal variations and significant positive correlations.

Environmental drivers of temporal succession in recent dinoflagellate cyst assemblages from a coastal site in the North-East Atlantic (Lisbon Bay, Portugal)

Temporal changes in the community structure of recent dinoflagellate cyst assemblages of Lisbon Bay (Iberian upwelling system) were investigated between 2000 and 2005. The assemblages were diverse and characterized by high inter-annual variability, rather than a clear seasonal pattern. In order to identify the main environmental drivers of community changes, several regional (river runoff, rainfall, upwelling, radiation, daylength) and in situ (sea surface temperature, salinity, bottom and surface chlorophyll a concentration) environmental parameters were tested. Multivariate statistical analysis allowed the identification of water stability as the main environmental gradient influencing the community composition, with river runoff in the preceding rain season and upwelling being the two drivers of stratification and turbulence, respectively. Both these processes can be described as nutrient enrichment processes, but the cyst signal indicates that the two mechanisms select for different functional groups. The main upwelling cyst signal is characterised by the dominance of heterotrophic species (Protoperidinioid species) and presence of the autotrophic chain-forming Gymnodinium catenatum, while the river runoff cyst signal is characterised by dominance of autotrophs forming calcareous cysts, mainly Scrippsiella spp. Lingulodinium polyedrum is suggested to be indicative of upwelling conditions in the region but reflecting an ecological niche different from the more classical heterotrophic assemblage and G. catenatum. Our results reinforce the applicability of dinoflagellate cysts as environmental tracers in the warm-temperate region of the NE Atlantic, and contribute to the development of palaeoenvironmental cyst-based signals.

Distribution of chlorophyll a and Gymnodinium catenatum associated with coastal upwelling plumes off central Portugal

The composition and the distribution patterns of phytoplankton were studied during the early stages of an upwelling event in Lisbon Bay, in September 1999. The distribution of chlorophyll a and phytoplankton assemblages was asymmetric about the upwelling centre, with the highest abundance of chlorophyll a observed at the inner (coastal) side of the plume. The diatom Cylindrotheca closterium dominated in the upwelling core and the chain forming diatom Proboscia alata dominated at the outer side of the feature within mature oceanic waters. Chain forming dinoflagellates such as Alexandrium affine and the toxin producer Gymnodinium catenatum were most numerous at the inshore side of the upwelling front. These patterns were compared with the distribution of G. catenatum observed in the same area in 1985 and 1994, under conditions of fully developed upwelling when chlorophyll a and G. catenatum maxima were observed extending southwards on the inshore side of an upwelling plume. Different hydrodynamic conditions at each side of upwelling plumes associated with pronounced Capes are evoked to explain the asymmetry on the phytoplankton patterns.