Impacts of an uncontrolled phosphogypsum dumpsite on summer distribution of phytoplankton, copepods and ciliates in relation to abiotic variables along the near-shore of the southwestern Mediterranean coast

► We examine the impacts of phosphogypsum on distribution of plankton communities in the southwestern Mediterranean coast. ► Phytoplankton was dominated by diatoms, ciliates by spirotrichs and copepods by Oithona nana. ► Despite human pressure, the coastal waters showed a wide diversity of species. ► It would be further of interest to see how excavation of 1.7 million m3 of phosphate influence species performances.