engleski

Does aquaculture have an impact on the distribution of phytoplankton in Mali Ston Bay?

Mali Ston Bay is a very important area for shellfish cultivation, which exerts a strong predation pressure on phytoplankton populations. In order to monitor the dynamics of phytoplankton populations we compared the data on the abundances from the periods of 1979-1989, 2002 and 2011-2012. No general pattern of phytplankton succesion and differences of community structure were observed during the study. Changes in phytoplankton composition and reduction of abundance, as well as the altered trophic status of the Mali Ston Bay could be a consequence of an aquaculture overcapacity in the ecosystem. Furthermore, a once ecologically stable ecosystem now becomes a potentially impoverished area for shellfish aquaculture with attendant risks of harmful algal blooms.

phytoplankton; aquaculture; Mali Ston Bay

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