The survey of diversity, distribution and abundance of phytoplankton in the southern of Caspian Sea

The survey sampled during the fourth stage of the season was in 1387. Sampling in eight directions perpendicular (transect) to the beach and 480 samples was performed. In each transect from Astara to the Turkmen 5 stations at depths of 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 m were selected for sampling. The total number of 191 species was identified; Bacillariophyta category species number was 97, equivalent to %50.8, category of Chlorophyta 28 species, equivalent to %14.7, category of Pyrrophyta 26 species, equivalent to 13.6 %, category of Cyanophyta 25 species, equivalent to 13.1% and category of Euglenophyta 15 species, equivalent to 7.9% of all species formed. Average abundance of phytoplankton was 27947500(SD=2465184) n/m^3. The average biomass was 125.51(SD=8.84) mg/m^3. Abundance and biomass in spring and summer, autumn and winter have been significant differences (p <0.05). The highest frequency was in winter, autumn, summer respectively and spring was (p <0.05) and the highest biomass in winter, fall, spring and summer was respectively (p <0.05). Bacillariophyta category has the highest abundance equal to 14390833 ± 16262.35 n/m^3 (mean ± standard error) were equivalent to %51.49 of the total abundance, Euglenophyta category has the least density equal to 109791 ± 16262.14 n/m^3 (mean ± standard error), which is equivalent to % 0.39 of total abundance were included. Also Pyrrophyta category has the highest biomass equal to 69.66 ± 5.53 mg/m^3 (standard error ± mean) were equivalent to %53.14 of the total biomass and Chlorophyta category with an average of 0.68 ± 0.11 mg/m^3 (mean ± standard error) have the lowest biomass, were equivalent to %0.54 of the total. Phytoplankton Categories in every season, with biomass and abundance have been different (p <0.05). Abundance and phytoplankton biomass in the upper layer and lower layer varies with depth of 50 meters (p <0.05). With distance from shore and depth increases, reducing the mean abundance and biomass were observed (p <0.05). The highest and lowest abundance of phytoplankton was observed at depths of 10 and 100 meters respectively. The maximum amount of phytoplankton biomass in surface areas of deep stations 20 m and the lowest biomass sampled at the deepest point of the station was 100 meters. Abundance and biomass of phytoplankton in the deep layers of the sample with significant difference (p<0.05). So that the highest abundance layers of 10 m, the surface layer of 5 m, 20 m, 50 m and 100 m, respectively(p <0.05), and the most biomass in the surface layers of 5 m, 20 m, 10 m, 50 and 100 meters, respectively (p <0.05). Abundance and biomass of phytoplankton in transects was significant difference (p <0.05). Most phytoplankton respectively transect Astara, Babolsar, Anzali Amirabad, Turkmen, Sefidrud, Noshahr, Branch was observed (p <0.05) and in terms of biomass, respectively transects Astara, Anzali, Sefidrud, Babolsar, Noushahr, Branch, Amirabad and Turkmen values were higher (p <0.05). Species diversity indexe (Shannon – Wiener) phytoplankton was equivalent to 2.92. Environmental conditions and nutrients in different seasons on these parameters influenced the way that species diversity was lowest in summer and in autumn, winter, and spring, respectively, species diversity increased