| The section of the Liguro-Provencal basin north of the Balearic Islands is one of the most productive sites in the whole Mediterranean Sea, with intense phytoplankton bloom lasting about 2 months in late winter-early spring. The phytoplankton species composition of the area was investigated using light and electron microscopy to analyze bottle and net samples collected at several stations in spring 2000 and 2003. Serial dilution cultures established from bottle samples were also examined. A total of 168 phytoplankton taxa was identified, consisting of 73 Coscinodiscophyceae, 47 Dinophyceae, 25 Coccolithophyceae and 4 Prymnesiophyceae, 5 Prasinophyceae, 3 Chrysophyceae, 2 Cryptophyceae, 2 Dictyochophyceae, 1 Euglenophyceae, 1 Pelagophyceae, 1... |
