Citizen science in the monitoring of Ostreopsis ovata blooms in southern Italy: A five-year study

Abstract

The toxic benthic dinoflagellate Ostreopsis ovata causes harmful algal blooms. During five years, citizens have monitored blooms of O. cf. ovata along the coast of Molfetta city facing the Adriatic Sea. Coscinodiscus spp., Licmophora spp., Gyrosigma spp. and Achnantes spp. diatoms were also quantified. O. cf. ovata was detected from spring up to winter, however, blooms always occurred in summer. Correlation with nine weather parameters was relatively strong with seawater temperature, dew point and air temperature. Dew point has never been reported before as key parameter. Blooms of O. cf. ovata were preceded by lag period during which conditions permitted proliferation but no proliferation observed. Furthermore, dew point, seawater and air temperature only moderately correlated with proliferation of Coscinodiscus spp. However, correlation between blooms of O. cf. ovata and Coscinodiscus spp. was relatively strong. Correlation between proliferation of O. cf. ovata and Gyrosigma spp. was very weak, while moderate and negative with Licmophora spp. or Achnantes spp.

Keywords: Citizen science; Diatom; Dinoflagellate; Harmful algal bloom; Ostreopsis ovata; Southern Adriatic Sea.