Dinoflagellate cysts in the surface sediments of the White Sea

• Published in: Oceanology
• Main Authors: Novichkova, E. A., Polyakova, Elena I.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Pleiades Publishing, Springer 2007
• Subjects: Barents Sea; Onega; Severnaya Dvina; White Sea; dvina; North Atlantic
• Online Access: https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/27917/; https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/27917/1/2007_Novichkova-Polyakova_Oceanology-47.pdf; https://doi.org/10.1134/S0001437007050086

Dinoflagellate cysts were studied in 42 samples from the surface sediments of the White Sea. The total concentration of dinocysts varies from single cysts to 25 000 cyst/g of dry sediments, which reflects the biological productivity in the White Sea waters and the regional particular features of the sedimentation processes. The highest concentrations are observed in silts; they are related to the regions of propagation of the highly productive Barents Sea waters in the White Sea. Generally, the spatial distribution of dinocysts species in the surface sediments corresponds to the distribution of the major types of water masses in the White Sea. The cysts of the relatively warm-water species (Operculodinium centrocarpum, Spiniferites sp.) of North Atlantic origin that dominate in the sediments indicate an intensive intrusion of the Barents Sea water masses to the White Sea along with hydrological dwelling conditions in the White Sea favorable for the development of these species during their vegetation period. The cold-water dinocyst assemblage (Islandinium minutum, Polykrikos sp.) is rather strictly confined to the inner parts of shallow-water bays, firstly, those adjacent to the Onega and Severnaya Dvina river mouths.