Site fidelity and movements of gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata) in a coastal lagoon (Ria Formosa, Portugal)

Short-time site fidelity and movements of gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata) in a coastal lagoon were determined using passive acoustic telemetry. Nine fish, ranging from 20.1 to 32.5 cm total length, were surgically implanted with acoustic transmitters and monitored for up to 179 days. Minimum convex polygon areas ranged from 18,698.6 m² to 352,711.9 m². Home range sizes were small, with individuals using core areas on a daily basis. However, these core areas shifted within the study site over time towards the opening to the sea. Two different diel behaviors were recorded, with some individuals more active at night and others during day time. Some individuals also demonstrated homing abilities, returning to the capture site after being released more than 4 km away.     

Long-term changes in fish communities of the Ria Formosa coastal lagoon (southern Portugal) based on two studies made 20 years apart

Fish communities of the Ria Formosa coastal lagoon (south Portugal) were sampled on a monthly basis with a beach seine at 4 sites, during two different time periods: 1980–1986 and 2001–2002. Community indices, species ranking and multivariate analysis were used in order to identify changes in the fish community between the two time periods. A total of 153,511 fish representing 57 taxa were recorded. Although species composition was very similar for both sampling periods, multivariate analysis performed on annual species abundance in number and weight revealed differences in fish community structure between the two periods. Structural changes in fish community were related mostly to a sharp decrease in the abundance of Mugilidae from 1980–1986 to 2001–2002. These changes were probably associated to a decrease in organic matter contents and nutrients concentrations due to improvements in sewage treatment and better water circulation inside the lagoon. The changes in fish community structure are more evident in the inner areas of the lagoon than near the inlet. The association between changes in sewage patterns and changes in the ichthyofaunal community structure reinforces the importance of fish communities as a biological indicator of human induced changes in marine systems.     

Evaluating environmental contamination in Ria Formosa (Portugal) using stress indexes of Spartina maritima.

Species of Spartina are potentially useful for biomonitoring coastal systems because they are abundant in the intertidal and have a wide geographic distribution in temperate zones. In this study, three indexes of physiological stress, thiolic protein concentration, adenylic energy charge (AEC) index [AEC = ATP + 0.5ADP/(ATP + ADP + AMP)] and photosynthetic efficiency (Fv/Fm), are measured in Spartina maritima plants collected at four sites and compared with metal concentrations in the sediments and Spartina tissues. Two sites were close to urban centers and two were located further away, in less contaminated areas. Concentrations of copper, cadmium, lead and zinc were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry, thiolic proteins were determined by polarography and adenilic nucleotides were determined by high performance liquid chromatography. Photosynthetic efficiencies were measured with a fluorometer. The sediments of sites closer to urban centers had higher concentrations of metals than the sites located further away. Metal concentration within plants did not follow this spatial pattern, probably due to spatial differences in metal bioavailability, uptake rates, internal transport and excretion processes. Concentrations of all metals studied were higher in underground plant structures than aerial, except cadmium whose levels were not significantly different. On the other hand, the stress indexes followed the spatial pattern of metals in the sediment. Thiolic protein concentrations were higher in plants from polluted sites, and were three to four times higher in aerial than in underground plant structures. Leaf AEC ratios and photosynthetic efficiencies were lower in plants from polluted sites indicating that they were growing under stressful conditions. We conclude that the use of these indexes in S. maritima represent a useful tool to monitor contamination in Ria Formosa lagoon as they provide an integrated measure of the toxicological burden of contamination.     

Coastal vulnerability in barrier islands: The high risk areas of the Ria Formosa (Portugal) system

Coastal vulnerability in barrier island systems is extremely high. The barrier island shoreline is exposed to many threats, such as storm erosion, reductions in sediment longshore drift and sea level rise. Many of these threats to coastal areas, such as Ria Formosa, are likely to increase in the near future. The main objectives of the present study are to identify the areas in the system that are at most risk by assessing the evolution of the Ria Formosa barrier island system since the 1940s, and determine which interventions would be necessary to protect these areas.The coastal vulnerability of the system was assessed based on current literature, data available from official institutions, and aerial and terrestrial in situ examination. The results obtained for the evolution of the Ria Formosa coastal system reveal that there are several vulnerable areas that have very dynamic processes, such as extremely high evolution rates of islands and inlets. Human actions that affect the whole system, namely the construction of many physical structures, are the main cause of the instability. Moreover, as several stakeholders are involved, efficient management of the coastal system is imperative. Extensive and careful interventions are urgently needed to avoid irreversible negative impacts on the barrier island system. Three types of techniques could be adopted to deal with the threats to barrier islands: hard stabilization, soft techniques, and non-structural alternatives. However, using hard techniques has many negative effects compared to soft techniques, and as a result it is necessary to remove existing structures from the areas at most risk.     

Seagrass landscape-scale changes in response to disturbance created by the dynamics of barrier-islands: A case study from Ria Formosa (Southern Portugal)

This study documents long-term changes of a Zostera noltii landscape induced by a natural cyclic event in a coastal lagoon. The barrier-islands forming this system are very dynamic with drifting movements controlling ecological patterns and processes occurring in this area. Changes in the areal extent of the Z. noltii meadows were assessed using historical aerial photographs from 1940, 1980, 1989, 1996 and 1998. Landscape indices such as total patch area (TA), mean patch size (MPS), number of patches (NP), mean shape coefficient of variation (CV) and landscape fractal dimension (D) were calculated for each year and related to an index of disturbance intensity. The spatial distribution of the Z. noltii meadows varied greatly during the studied period and changes observed were related to the disturbance created by the barrier-islands' spatial dynamics. After an artificial inlet relocation the Z. noltii area, number of patches, patch mean size and coefficient of variation decreased. The fractal dimension of the Z. noltii landscape increased by 50% showing that besides a decrease in total area, number of patches, and patch mean area, patch fragmentation was an important consequence of this anthropogenic disturbance.Seagrass natural distribution patterns changed in response to natural and human-induced activities. This study emphasizes the importance of the landscape approach and the historical perspective when studying seagrass changes and the importance of taking into consideration long-term changes in seagrass landscapes to avoid confusion between man-induced effects with natural cyclic events.     

A multibiomarker approach in the clam Ruditapes decussatus to assess the impact of pollution in the Ria Formosa lagoon,South Coast of Portugal

The Ria Formosa lagoon is an ecosystem whose water quality reflects the anthropogenic influence upon the surrounding areas. In this lagoon, the clam Ruditapes decussatus has a great economical importance and has been widely used as a biomonitor. A multibiomarker approach (δ-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase, metallothionein, lipid peroxidation, acetylcholinesterase, alkali-labile phosphates, DNA damage) was applied to assess the environmental quality of this ecosystem and the accumulation of contaminants and their potential adverse effects on clams. Clams were sampled in different shellfish beds in the period between July 2007 and December 2008 and abiotic parameters (temperature, salinity, pH and dissolved oxygen of seawater and organic matter in the sediment), condition index, metals (Cd, Cu, Zn, Ni, Pb), TBTs and PAHs concentrations were measured in clam tissues. Data was integrated using Principal Component Analyses and biomarker indices: IBR (Integrated Biomarker Response) and HSI (Health Status Index). This multibiomarker approach enabled discrimination of a time and space trend between sites with different degrees of anthropogenic contamination, identifying one of them (site 2) as the most stressful and summer months as the most critical period for clams due to an increase of environmental stress (anthropogenic pressure along with extreme environmental conditions, e.g. temperature, dissolved oxygen, organic matter in the sediments, etc). The selected biomarkers provided an integrated response to assess the environmental quality of the system, proving to be a useful approach when complex mixtures of contaminants occur.     

Support mechanisms for oil spill accident response in costal lagoon areas (Ria de Aveiro,Portugal)

Oil spill accidents can be caused by several risk factors associated to maritime transport and port activities, which cannot always be predicted or controlled. Therefore, it is essential to support prevention and contingency plans, whose effectiveness is crucial to produce adequate responses and minimize resulting impacts.Ria de Aveiro (Portugal) is a wide coastal lagoon, within a densely populated area, representing a concentration of important biodiversity resources and several economic activities. This paper presents alternative methodologies to support the optimization of civil protection assets in the occurrence of oil spill events and the results of their application on a section area of the Aveiro Lagoon, using an established geographic information system database containing crucial data.The presented methodologies are based on the Environmental Sensitivity Index developed by the North American National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (USA) and the Global Vulnerability Index which were applied on the Bay of Biscay (Spain). However, during the development of this work, neither of these methodologies was considered to entirely assess the study area in its full extent, which led to the need to adapt and define a bespoke approach. The introduced changes include extra categories in shoreline classification, an adapted physical vulnerability index for coastal lagoons, differentiated aspects for highly protected status areas, qualitative assessment of socioeconomic features and an access and operability index created to support emergency operation response.The resulting maps are the subject of analysis, in which considerations regarding control and cleanup methods are introduced, together with guidelines for further integration in local risk management strategies.     

Nutrient retention in the sediments and the submerged aquatic vegetation of the coastal lagoon of the Ria de Aveiro,Portugal

A decrease in the areas covered by seagrasses within the Ria de Aveiro, Portugal, has been observed over the past five decades, resulting in a corresponding increase of the areas of uncovered sediment supporting the growth of sparse macroalgae populations only. Presently, several macroalgae (Ulva spp., Gracilaria sp.) and one seagrass species (Nanozostera noltii (Hornem.) Toml. & Posl.) comprise the submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) adapted to this shallow, high-energy environment, characterised by fast tidal currents and turbid waters and in which large areas of the bed are exposed during low tide. This study shows that there is a strong inter-relation between the SAV and the surface sediment in intertidal areas. The sediment covered by N. noltii was finer (median grain size 95 µm) and had a high percentage of organic matter (mean value 7.6%), compared with the sediment colonised by macroalgae (median grain size 239 µm; mean organic content 3.2%). The concentrations of both total nitrogen and phosphorous were significantly greater (P < 0.001) in surface sediments covered by N. noltii. Thus, sediments within N. noltii appear to act as a large reservoir of N and P by accumulating greater concentrations of fine sediment particles (silt and clay) and organic matter when compared with the coarser sediment covered with macroalgae only. Hence, the reduction in the area covered by seagrasses will likely result in a gradual loss of nutrients and fine sediment from the Ria de Aveiro channels.     

Benthic nitrate biogeochemistry affected by tidal modulation of Submarine Groundwater Discharge (SGD) through a sandy beach face, Ria Formosa, Southwestern Iberia

To investigate both the role of tides on the timing and magnitude of Submarine Groundwater Discharge (SGD), and the effect on benthic nitrogen biogeochemistry of nitrate-enriched brackish water percolating upwards at the seepage face, we conducted a study of SGD rates measured simultaneously with seepage meters and mini-piezometers, combined with sets (n = 39) of high resolution in-situ porewater profiles describing NH₄⁺, NO₃⁻, Si(OH)₄ and salinity distribution with depth (0–20 cm). Sampling took place during two consecutive spring tidal cycles in four different months (November 2005, March, April and August 2006) at a backbarrier beach face in the Ria Formosa lagoon, southern Portugal. Our results show that the tide is one of the major agents controlling the timing and magnitude of SGD into the Ria Formosa. Intermittent pumping of brackish, nitrate-bearing water at the beach face through surface sediments changed both the magnitudes and depth distributions of porewater NH₄⁺ and NO₃⁻ concentrations. The most significant changes in nitrate and ammonium concentrations were observed in near-surface sediment horizons coinciding with increased fraction of N in benthic organic matter, as shown by the organic C:N ratio. On the basis of mass balance calculations executed on available benthic profiles, providing ratios of net Ammonium Production Rate (APR) to Nitrate Reduction Rate (NRR), coupled to stoichiometric calculations based on the composition of organic matter, potential pathways of nitrogen transformation were speculated upon. Although the seepage face occasionally contributes to reduce the groundwater-borne DIN loading of the lagoon, mass balance analysis suggests that a relatively high proportion of the SGD-borne nitrogen flowing into the lagoon may be enhanced by nitrification at the shallow (1–3 cm) subsurface and modulated by dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA).     

Three main stressors acting on the Ria Formosa lagoonal system (Southern Portugal): Physical stress, organic matter pollution and the land–ocean gradient

During the last 15 years of the 20th century, several researchers carried out extensive sampling of benthic macrofauna communities in the Ria Formosa lagoon. The main objective of this paper is to discern the main communities of benthic fauna of the Ria Formosa and the leading stressors that limit them based on this large data set.The high species richness and high diversity values observed at most of the stations or groups of stations indicate a good ecological status, with the exception of the sewage-impacted areas and the physically stressed areas. It was possible to define three main stressors acting on the Ria Formosa. The most important is the physical stress imposed by the limited water renewal in some areas of the Ria Formosa. The second is the nutrient and organic matter pollution that is limited to the vicinity of the sewage outfall stations and to some locations of the Ria Formosa. This is due to the dual effects of the low residence time of water, but also due to a degradation of water quality in places of relatively restricted water circulation but with high primary production, symptoms of eutrophication. The third stressor is the natural land–ocean gradient, denoting the influence of seawater exchanges and emersion time, attenuated by the high water exchange rates of Ria Formosa.It was possible to differentiate the anthropogenic stress from the natural physical stress through the application of multivariate analysis. However, both structural (species richness and diversity indices) and functional indicators (trophic composition) indicate the same trend – low species richness, low diversity indices, and a community dominated by detritivores species at the locations characterized by high anthropogenic impact or by physical stress. The physically stressed areas were dominated by chironomid larvae and hydrobiid gastropods and the most polluted areas were dominated by oligochaetes, mainly tubificids.     

High-resolution seismic imaging of gas accumulations and seepage in the sediments of the Ria de Aveiro barrier lagoon (Portugal)

Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas and an important energy source. The global significance and impact in coastal zones of methane gas accumulation and seepage in sediments from coastal lagoon environments are still largely unknown. This paper presents results from four high-resolution seismic surveys carried out in the Ria de Aveiro barrier lagoon (Portugal) in 1999, 2002 and 2003. These comprise three chirp surveys (RIAV99, RIAV02, RIAV02A) and one boomer survey (RIAV03). Evidence of extensive gas accumulation and seepage in tidal channel sediments from the Ria de Aveiro barrier lagoon is presented here for the first time. This evidence includes: acoustic turbidity, enhanced reflections, acoustic blanking, domes, and acoustic plumes in the water column (flares). The stratigraphy and structural framework control the distribution and extent of gas accumulations and seepage in the study area. In these shallow systems, however, tidal altitude variations have a significant impact on gas detection using acoustic methods, by changing the raw amplitude of the enhanced seismic reflections, acoustic turbidity, and acoustic blanking in gas-prone areas. Direct evidence of gas escape from drill holes in the surrounding area has shown that the gas present in the Ria de Aveiro consists of biogenic methane. Most of the gas in the study area was probably generated mainly in Holocene lagoon sediments. Evidence of faults affecting the Mesozoic limestones and clays underlying some of the shallow gas occurrences, and the presence of high-amplitude reflections in these deeper units raise the possibility that some of this gas could have been generated in deeper sedimentary layers, and then migrated upward through the fractured Mesozoic strata.     

Nutrient dynamics and seasonal succession of phytoplankton assemblages in a Southern European Estuary: Ria de Aveiro, Portugal

The spatial and temporal dynamics of dissolved inorganic nitrogen, dissolved phosphate, dissolved silica and chlorophyll a were measured seasonally at eight stations in the Ria de Aveiro. Between December 2000 and September 2001, the seasonal succession of phytoplankton assemblages, inferred after the spatial and seasonal variation of silica and of chlorophyll a concentrations, showed that diatoms (μmol Si L⁻¹) dominated from late autumn until early spring, while chlorophytes (μg Chl a L⁻¹) bloomed during late spring and summer. The Si:N:P ratios and Si concentrations indicated no seasonal depletion in dissolved silica, as in other temperate systems, possibly because of abnormal precipitation and flood events prolonging the supply of dissolved Si to the system. The Si:N:P ratios suggested P limitation at the system level. Despite the relative proportions of available nutrients, the mean phosphorus concentration (5.3 μmol L⁻¹) was above the reported half-saturation constants for P uptake by phytoplankton. Thus, in Ria de Aveiro, the seasonal succession of phytoplankton assemblages may also be dependent on the grazing capacity of the pelagic community through top-down regulation.     

Effects of tidal flushing on phytoplankton in a eutrophic tropical lagoon in Taiwan

The effects of tidal flushing on the abundance, productivity, and community structure of phytoplankton in response to eutrophication were examined every 2–3 months for more than 2 years in Tapong Bay, a tropical lagoon with only 1 tidal inlet connecting it to the sea in southern Taiwan. Water flushing time ranged from 4–12 d (8–25% d⁻¹) in the outer region subject to fast flushing to 8–24 d (4–12% d⁻¹) in the inner region subject to poor flushing. Chlorophyll a, cell number, and gross production (GP) rate of phytoplankton were significantly greater in the inner region than in the outer region. However, while GP rate was normalized by chlorophyll a (P^B) and was expressed as photosynthetic intensity, no significant differences were detected among the study sites. These parameters exhibited a unimodal seasonal pattern across all study sites, with greater values in summer and lower values in winter. No significant differences in species richness or Shannon–Wiener diversity were detected among the study sites. Nevertheless, diversity indices were significantly higher in winter and lower in summer. Classification of phytoplankton communities showed that the grouping patterns were primarily determined by sampling time. Ordination by non-metric multidimensional scaling (MDS) revealed a clear temporal continuum of changes in species composition across all study sites, suggesting that the communities were primarily structured by time, but that it was little affected by study site. Analyses of similarities (ANOSIM) showed that phytoplankton communities sampled in winter could be separated from those in summer, but others were barely separable at all. In summer, the most frequently observed species were the diatom Skeletonema costatum and the cyanobacterium Oscillatoria sp., and these shifted to the diatoms S. costatum and Cylindrotheca closterium in winter. Our results suggest that tidal flushing is an important factor for regulating responses of phytoplankton abundance and productivity to eutrophication in tropical lagoons, but the community structure was little affected due to horizontal mixing by the tidal circulation.     

Aeromonas veronii,a tributyltin (TBT)-degrading bacterium isolated from an estuarine environment,Ria de Aveiro in Portugal

Organotin compounds are used in a variety of industrial processes therefore their subsequent discharge into the environment is widespread.Bacteria play an important role in biogeochemical transformations acting as natural decontamination agents. Therefore, screening for tributyltin (TBT)-resistant and -degrading bacteria is relevant for the selection of isolates with decontamination ability of these polluted areas. With this purpose, 50 strains were isolated from sediment and water from Ria de Aveiro and their tolerance to TBT, up to 3 mM, was evaluated. Generally, occurrence of highly TBT-resistant bacteria was observed, and Gram negative bacteria exhibited more tolerance to TBT than Gram positive bacteria. A memory response was observed when bacteria were progressively exposed to increasingly higher TBT concentrations. One isolate, Aeromonas veronii Av27, highly resistant to TBT (3 mM) uses this compound as carbon source and degrades it to less toxic compounds.     

Aeromonas veronii, a tributyltin (TBT)-degrading bacterium isolated from an estuarine environment, Ria de Aveiro in Portugal

Organotin compounds are used in a variety of industrial processes therefore their subsequent discharge into the environment is widespread. Bacteria play an important role in biogeochemical transformations acting as natural decontamination agents. Therefore, screening for tributyltin (TBT)-resistant and -degrading bacteria is relevant for the selection of isolates with decontamination ability of these polluted areas. With this purpose, 50 strains were isolated from sediment and water from Ria de Aveiro and their tolerance to TBT, up to 3mM, was evaluated. Generally, occurrence of highly TBT-resistant bacteria was observed, and Gram negative bacteria exhibited more tolerance to TBT than Gram positive bacteria. A memory response was observed when bacteria were progressively exposed to increasingly higher TBT concentrations. One isolate, Aeromonas veronii Av27, highly resistant to TBT (3mM) uses this compound as carbon source and degrades it to less toxic compounds.     

Methane sources,sinks and fluxes in a temperate tidal Lagoon: The Arcachon lagoon (SW France)

The Arcachon lagoon is a 156 km² temperate mesotidal lagoon dominated by tidal flats (66% of the surface area). The methane (CH₄) sources, sinks and fluxes were estimated from water and pore water concentrations, from chamber flux measurements at the sediment–air (low tide), sediment–water and water–air (high tide) interfaces, and from potential oxidation and production rate measurements in sediments. CH₄ concentrations in waters were maximal (500–1000 nmol l⁻¹) in river waters and in tidal creeks at low tide, and minimal in the lagoon at high tide (<50 nmol l⁻¹). The major CH₄ sources are continental waters and the tidal pumping of sediment pore waters at low tide. Methanogenesis occurred in the tidal flat sediments, in which pore water concentrations were relatively high (2.5–8.0 μmol l⁻¹). Nevertheless, the sediment was a minor CH₄ source for the water column and the atmosphere because of a high degree of anaerobic and aerobic CH₄ oxidation in sediments. Atmospheric CH₄ fluxes at high and low tide were low compared to freshwater wetlands. Temperate tidal lagoons appear to be very minor contributor of CH₄ to global atmosphere and to open ocean.     

Vertical zonation and aggregated distribution of the Manila clam on subtidal sand flats in a coastal brackish lagoon along the Sea of Japan

The Manila clam, Ruditapes philippinarum, has maintained small‐sized populations in a semi‐enclosed brackish lake along the Sea of Japan, the Honjo area of Lake Nakaumi, although the environment and biota of this area have changed dramatically due to a large‐scale reclamation project. There should be underlying processes that enable the restoration of this species from small‐sized populations, such as the existence of source (i.e. reproductive) populations in other areas and depth zones of the lake. However, there has been no robust, properly designed evaluation of the distribution of the Manila clam in the subtidal sand flats. In order to elucidate the possible mechanisms that allow for the persistence of populations of the Manila clam, we examined the spatiotemporal and vertical variation in distributions of 0‐age clams in the subtidal zone of sand flats. Seasonal effects on population variations showed erratic changes among depth zones without a decreasing trend along the depth gradient. Further, many local populations became extinct even in the shallower zones due to seasonal (summer) hypoxia at deeper zones and hypoxia by the accumulation of key benthic species (Asian mussel and decaying macroalgae) in mats at shallower zones. A few surviving local populations were stable with a spatial‐fragmental (patchy) distribution, associated with fragmented accumulations of Asian mussels and macroalgae. Efforts to maintain stable populations and to restore this species in the subtidal area may depend on these small, restricted, patchy local populations. These findings suggest that high fertility and productivity of the Manila clam as well as patchy distribution of small populations may contribute to the maintenance of the population and the avoidance of extinction (by spatially diffusing the risk of extinction) in harsh environments resulting from the reclamation project.     

The PAH composition of surface sediments from Stagnone coastal lagoon, Marsala (Italy)

This paper examines the presence, distribution, nature and sources of 22 Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs), which are important environmentally and toxicologically, in sediments from the Stagnone coastal lagoon at Marsala (Italy). Analysis was performed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) with selected ion monitoring (SIM). The total concentration of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons ranged from 72 to 18381 μg/kg of dry matrix. The relative standard deviation (RSD) of the replicates on the concentrations of individual compounds ranged from 5% to 20%. The accuracy of method was estimated by analyzing “blank” samples added of known quantities of analytes and the recover percentage was 88 ± 9%. The detection limit (LOD) of analytical procedure was less than 0.2 μg/kg d.w. for all analytes. The quantification limit (LOQ) of analytical procedure was less than 0.7 μg/kg d.w.The resulting distributions and weight ratios of specific compounds are discussed in terms of sampling location and origin of organic matter. A comparison with other studies of total PAHs suggests that the levels are within the concentration ranges already reported by other authors. From an eco-toxicological point of view, total PAH concentrations at seven out of the eight sites studied represent a relatively clean environment when compared to other sites.Organic matter content and PAH concentrations were found to be correlated and the compounds present in Stagnone sediments were shown to be mainly of pyrolitic origin, while a negligible quantity of PAHs may derive from biogenic sources since all the sediments contain perylene traces. There is no evidence of coal-tar contamination.Cluster analysis was carried out in order to discriminate between different PAH origins.     

Composition and interannual variability of phytoplankton in a coastal upwelling region (Lisbon Bay,Portugal)

From July 2001 to May 2005, at a fixed station located in Lisbon Bay (Cascais: 38° 41′ N, 09° 24′ W), surface seawater samples were collected on a weekly basis. We aimed to describe at different temporal scales, short-term to interannual, the phytoplankton community in relation to hydrographic conditions.Maxima of the main phytoplankton groups varied according to the seasonality of upwelling/downwelling cycles and nutrient availability and were associated with particular hydrological mesoscale structures highlighted by satellite images. Short succession cycles were identified dependent on coastal upwelling events. Intermittent and weak pulses allowed the coexistence of species from different succession stages and groups, although having consecutive maxima. The interannual differences observed in the phytoplankton community, in Lisbon Bay, varied according to both the duration and strength of the upwelling events and to precipitation and Tagus river flow regimes.Diatoms developed and were dominant, during spring–summer under prevailing upwelling conditions and silicon availability. Short upwelling pulses appeared to be unfavourable for diatoms maintenance. When upwelling weakened and SST increased due to onshore advection of warmer waters, coccolithophores dominated. This assemblage was the second most abundant during the study, in particular during the short transition period from upwelling (summer) to downwelling seasons (autumn) distributing in the largest range of hydrographical conditions between diatoms (maximum turbulence) during early spring and dinoflagellates (maximum stratification) during summer to further dominate during autumn and winter. Nitrites and nitrates seemed to favour greater developments of this group. Dinoflagellates peaked mainly during summer and were the less abundant through the four years due to the decrease of lasting convergence periods. Like coccolithophores, a preference for warmer waters emerged but this group seemed to have a narrow tolerance to turbulence and temperature changes.