Variables affecting the plankton network in Mediterranean ports

Area of Science:

• Marine Ecology
• Coastal Management
• Environmental Science

Background:

• Port areas are vital economic infrastructures within coastal ecosystems.
• Sustainable development (blue growth) in ports requires understanding their environmental dynamics.
• Monitoring coastal ecosystems necessitates considering port water management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationships among plankton components (bacterio-, phyto-, and zooplankton) in Mediterranean tourist ports.
• To provide ecological insights into port waters by analyzing plankton dynamics.
• To correlate plankton variability with environmental variables and anthropogenic inputs.

Main Methods:

• Seasonal sampling across three Mediterranean tourist ports.
• Simultaneous assessment of bacterioplankton, phytoplankton, and zooplankton.
• Comparison with environmental variables and anthropogenic inputs using factor analysis.

Main Results:

• Factor analysis identified key drivers influencing plankton communities.
• Inland water load, seasonality, and water turbulence significantly affected planktonic components.
• Hydrocarbon pollution was linked to zooplankton variability in different port sectors.

Conclusions:

• Plankton dynamics in port waters are influenced by a combination of natural and anthropogenic factors.
• Understanding these relationships is critical for effective port environmental management and blue growth.
• The study highlights the need for integrated monitoring programs in port ecosystems.