Effetti dei cambiamenti climatici sulla biomassa e diversità del fitoplancton delle acque costiere artiche

In the Kongsfjorden, an Arctic fjord (Spitsbergen, Svalbard) considered as a model site for studies on the impact of climate changes in the Arctic, a monitoring was carried out over a short time scale to study phytoplankton biomass and composition in the late summer period. The hydrological variability exerted its effects on phytoplankton physiognomy, which dramatically changed, and dinoflagellate blooms were detected. Our findings represent a novelty for the Arctic, if we consider the high phytoplankton biomass values and the species involved in the bloom. An increase of temperate species respect to the boreal and glacial species identified in the past was observed.