Journal of Environmental Biology

Distribution and abundance of modern dinoflagellate cysts from Marmara, Aegean and Eastern Seas of Turkey

Hilal Aydın* and Serdar Uzar

Celal Bayar University Faculty of Science and Arts, Department of Biology, 45140, Manisa, Turkey

*Corresponding Author E-mail: hilalaydin66@gmail.com

Publication Data

Paper received:

17 October 2012

Revised received:

01 July 2013

Re-Revised received:

27 October 2013

Accepted:

29 October 2013

Abstract

Twenty-one surface sediment samples were collected from coastal areas of Turkey to determine horizontal distribution and abundance of the cysts. A total of 40 dinoflagellate cyst types were identified and recorded in the range of 34 and 31532 cyst g^-1 d.wt. in the sediments. The concentration of Lingulodinium machaerophorum, Polykrikos kofoidii, Quinquecuspis concreta, Dubridinium caperatum and Spiniferites bulloideus cysts dominated over other species. Although cysts of potentially toxic species of Alexandrium affine type and A. catenella/tamarense complex were found only in Izmir Bay. A. minutum type, Lingulodinium machaerophorum and Operculodinium centrocarpum were observed in the surface sediments of Marmara Sea and Fethiye Bay. The present study provides a database on the distribution and composition of dinoflagellate cysts in the Eastern Mediterranean sea coastal waters of Turkey where modern dinoflagellate cysts have been little studied.?

 Key words

Dinoflagellate cysts, Izmir Bay,Marmara Sea,Surface sediment,Toxic species

Copyright ? 2014 Triveni Enterprises. All rights reserved. No part of the Journal can be reproduced in any form without prior permission. Responsibility regarding the authenticity of the data, and the acceptability of the conclusions enforced or derived, rest completely with the author(s).