The Status of Phytoplankton in the Persian Gulf Waters of Bandar Abbas to Lark Island
Subject Areas : پایداری اکوسیستم ها
fereshteh saraji
1
,
Golam Ali Akbarzadeh
2
,
Reza Dehghany
3
,
Siamak Behzadi
4
1 - PhD in Marine Science, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization, Iranian Fisheries Science Research Institute, Persian Gulf and Oman Sea Ecological Research Institute, Hormozgan, Bandar Abbas, Iran
2 - MSc in Fisheries, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization, Iranian Fisheries Science Research Institute, Persian Gulf and Oman Sea Ecological Research Institute, Hormozgan, Bandar Abbas, Iran
3 - MSc in Marine Fish Biology, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization, Iranian Fisheries Science Research Institute, Persian Gulf and Oman Sea Ecological Research Institute, Hormozgan, Bandar Abbas, Iran
4 - PhD in Fisheries exploitation and Management, Assistant Professor, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization, Iranian Fisheries Science Research Institute, Persian Gulf and Oman Sea Ecological Research Institute, Hormozgan, Bandar Abbas, Iran
Keywords: Phytoplankton, Persian Gulf, Bandar Abbas, Lark Island,
Abstract :
This study was conducted in the Persian Gulf waters near Bandar Abbas and Lark Island from the summer of 2022 to the spring of 2023. Sampling was carried out during four periods from 15 selected stations in this aquatic region using a Ruttner bottle, collecting water samples from 0.5 meters below the surface. A total of 64 phytoplankton species were identified, including 43 species of Bacillariophyceae, 18 species of Dinophyceae, two species of Cyanophyceae, and one species of Euglenophyceae. The findings indicate a high degree of species similarity and structural homogeneity within the study area. The Margalef diversity index ranged from 6.41 to 7.31, the Shannon-Wiener diversity index varied between 1.30 and 1.66, and Pielou’s evenness index was recorded between 0.39 and 0.59. Based on these indices, the study area is classified as having a moderate level of pollution and environmental stress. This research provides comprehensive insights into the phytoplankton structure of the region. Given the ongoing climate change, industrial expansion, and increasing pollution in the Persian Gulf, the diversity and composition of planktonic communities—especially phytoplankton—are subject to change. Establishing a phytoplankton database for the region allows for the detection of structural and compositional shifts over time. The species composition and their relative abundance play a crucial role in analyzing food web dynamics and water quality.