Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
THALASSAS, cilt.42, sa.1, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
Phytoplankton form the autotrophic base of aquatic food webs and are highly responsive to environmental variability, making them key indicators of marine ecosystem dynamics. Despite their importance, information on phytoplankton distribution and species-environment relationships along the Turkish Mediterranean coast remains limited. This study investigated phytoplankton composition and its association with environmental parameters in surface waters along the entire Turkish Mediterranean coast during summer. Sampling was conducted at 69 inshore and offshore stations from Mersin (Ta & scedil;ucu) to Mu & gbreve;la (Dat & ccedil;a) during June-July 2019, using a 5 L Nansen bottle. Concurrent physical, chemical, and optical parameters were measured. A total of 459 phytoplankton species were identified, dominated by dinoflagellates (257 species) and diatoms (193 species). Ten species were classified as constant and twenty as common. Marked regional differences were observed: the Antalya Gulf (R2) exhibited the highest species richness, Finike-Ka & scedil; (R3) showed the lowest abundance but the highest biodiversity, while R1 displayed the highest abundance and lowest biodiversity. Cluster analysis revealed three major assemblages reflecting a pronounced east-west gradient. Indicator species included Heterocapsa spp. (mainly R4), Emiliania huxleyi (R1), and Pseudo-nitzschia delicatissima (R1 and R2). Overall, phytoplankton distribution along the Turkish Mediterranean coast is shaped by complex interactions between regional water masses and localized environmental conditions.