Preliminary study on phytoplankton communities of Mar Piccolo in Taranto (Jonian Sea).

Two stations in Mar Piccolo in Taranto (Southern Italy) were chosen to study phytoplankton populations and chemico-physical factors in water during the period March 1991 to February 1992. The results show how the organic matter input in the basin and its restricted circulation cause anoxia crises on the bottom. Periodical red tides have produced serious damage to the benthic biocoenosis and death of juvenile mussels.