Long Term Trends in the Occurrence of Phaeocystis Sp. in the North-East Atlantic

• Published in: Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom
• Main Authors: Owens, N.J.P., Cook, D., Colebrook, M., Hunt, H., Reid, P.C.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge University Press (CUP) 1989
• Subjects: North East Atlantic
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0025315400032185; https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0025315400032185

The effects of nutrient enrichment of natural water bodies range from small increases in plant biomass and production, to gross deterioration of water quality. The input of nutrients (e.g. nitrogen and phosphorus) to the sea off NW Europe (especially the North Sea) has increased dramatically over the last three or four decades (Folkard & Jones, 1974; Bennekom et al ., 1975; Postma, 1978; Cadee, 1986a) but there is uncertainty about the effects on the ecosystem. One possible effect might be to induce changes in the phytoplankton community. Such an effect has been reported for the North Sea, where increases in flagellate algae have been observed (Gieskes & Kraay, 1977; Postma, 1985; Cadee, 1986b; Batje & Michaelis, 1986). Phaeocystis is one such alga, and its purported involvement in the formation of large quantities of foam, observed on European beaches (Batje & Michaelis, 1986; Weisse et al , 1986), together with evidence that the alga is a source of atmospheric sulphur compounds (Barnard et al , 1984) (with implications for atmospheric acidity), has attracted particular attention and concern