Phytoplankton of the Coastal Waters off Vladivostok (the Northwestern Part of the East Sea) under Eutrophic Conditions

Abstract

The qualitative and quantitative composition of the phytoplankton of the coastal waters off Vladivostok during the period 1991-1994 was studied. The following trends in the phytoplankton composition with decreasing distance from the source of eutrophication were revealed: 1) total density and biomass increased; 2) the density of the diatom Skeletonema costatum, which reflects a decrease in the Shannon-Weaver species diversity index during the summer microalgal bloom, increased significantly; and 3) the density of the non-diatom component of the phytoplankton increased.