Dynamics and biodiversity of the phytoplankton communities in the Apulian lagoons (Southern Italy, Mediterranean Sea)

The objectives of this research were to study the dynamics of the phytoplankton assemblages and to evaluate a number of ecological indices, using the phytoplankton data, to describe the trophic levels of three Apulian lagoons (Varano and Lesina Lagoons, Mar Piccolo of Taranto). Our results showed that trends in cell abundance were seasonal; the annual average values were higher in Lesina and in Varano lagoon than in Mar Piccolo. From a qualitative point of view, phytoflagellates and diatoms dominated the phytoplankton community, but their dynamics were different in the three compared ecosystems.