Harmful
microalgal episodes in Greek coastal waters |
GEORGIOS
NIKOLAIDIS*, KONSTANTINOS KOUKARAS, KATERINA
ALIGIZAKI, ANDRIANI HERACLEOUS, ELENI KALOPESA, KIMONAS
MOSCHANDREOU, ELEFTHERIA TSOLAKI and APOSTOLIS MANTOUDIS
Department of Botany, School of Biology, Aristotle University,
54124 Thessaloniki, Greece |
Abstract
In the frame of the harmful algae monitoring program conducted in the
main fishing and shellfish growing areas of Greece during the period
2000-2004, two types of harmful algae were recorded: 1) microalgae that
produce water discoloration because of their massive growth and 2)
microalgae related to toxin production. The majority of algal blooms
associated with water discoloration were observed in Thermaikos Bay,
where species of the genus Prorocentrum (P. redfeldii, P.
micans, P. triestinum and P. obtusidens), the heterotrophic
Noctiluca scintillans, the raphidiophyte Chattonella cf.
globoda and a naked dinoflagellate Gymnodinium sp.
reached high cell densities. Algal blooms causing water discoloration
were also observed in Amvrakikos and Elefsis Bays, where the causative
organisms were Alexandrium insuetum and Prorocentrum minimum.
The main harmful dinoflagellates, which so far cause the greatest
economic losses in Greece, due to the shellfish intoxication, belong to
the genus Dinophysis. Dinophysis species were mainly
observed during late winter and spring, causing recurrent diarrhetic
shellfish intoxication outbreaks in the last five years in Thermaikos
Bay. Amvrakikos Bay is also affected by toxic microalgae, which cause
diarrhetic and paralytic shellfish intoxication. Pseudo-nitzschia
species a further group of harmful algae related with amnesic shellfish
intoxication episodes were found also in all monitored areas.
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