Zhou, Zheng and Zhao, Jun and Vereshchaka, Alexander L. and Sun, Xiaohong and Yang, Guang
(2025)
Characteristics of net-collected phytoplankton community structure and its relationship with environmental factors in the Southern Ocean: a case study in the Cosmonaut Sea during austral summer of 2020/2021.
Advances in Polar Science, 36 (4).
pp. 356-372.
Abstract
Phytoplankton play a pivotal role in the Southern Ocean ecosystem. This study examines the phytoplankton community structure and the environmental factors driving it in the Cosmonaut Sea, based on samples collected using a net during the summer of 2020/2021. We identified 99 phytoplankton species, predominantly comprising diatoms and dinoflagellates. Among these, diatoms—notably Pseudo-nitzschia, Chaetoceros, and Fragilariopsis, dominated the community in terms of species richness, abundance, and biomass. Endemic species of the Southern Ocean, such as Corethron pennatum, Proboscia alata, and Cylindrotheca closterium, also made significant contributions. Phytoplankton abundance and biomass showed similar spatial distribution patterns, with hotspots in the northern section of the survey area that gradually diminished towards the coastal regions. The oceanic area exhibited low phytoplankton diversity but pronounced regional variations in community distribution, with the northern region emerging as a key zone for abundance, biomass, and diversity. Nutrient distribution was identified as the primary environmental driver shaping the phytoplankton community, with silicate levels having a significant negative impact on overall phytoplankton abundance and the dominant species.
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