Spatial and temporal patterns of phytoplankton composition in Burullus Lagoon, Southern Mediterranean Coast, Egypt

Burullus Lagoon is a shallow, turbid, and nutrient replete system, suffering from high level of aquatic plants, expansion in fish farming and agricultural drainage discharges. Phytoplankton was evaluated based on four years monitoring seasonally from summer 2009 to spring 2013 at 12 stations representing the eastern, central and western basins of the lagoon. Over the 4-year study period, a total of 283 taxa from 96 genera and eight classes were recorded. The lagoon showed a pronounced algal periodicity. Phytoplankton community was generally dominated by Chlorophyceae, Bacillariophyceae and Cyanobacteria. The western basin had the lowest mean salinity values and highest phytoplankton abundance, in which, blooms of Chlorophyceae, Bacillariophyceae and Cyanobacteria were common. The eastern basin had lowest phytoplankton density and chlorophytes were dominant followed by Bacillariophyceae and/or Cyanobacteria. Euglenophyceae strongly appeared in the eastern basin especially at the second station, which is located in front of El Burullus Drain. The central basin is subjecting to high loading of phosphorus and nitrogen from agricultural drains and had a prevalence of chlorophyte blooms which constituted more than 50% of the total abundance. This study has provided substantial evidence that the phytoplankton abundance and community are governed by the environmental conditions which vary each year, so does the phytoplankton seasonal succession. Generally, about 25-50% reduction was recorded in the phytoplankton densities between 2009 and 2013 and a dramatic decrease in the abundance of many nuisance and eutrophic species was evident. No sign of eutrophication was observed, and recession of Cyanobacteria blooming suggests a major improvement in the water quality of Burullus Lagoon.