Phytoplankton community structure defined by key environmental variables in Tagus estuary, Portugal

In this work, we analyze environmental (physical and chemical) and biological (phytoplankton) data obtained along Tagus estuary during three surveys, carried out in productive period (May/June/July) at ebb tide. The main objective of this study was to identify the key environmental factors affecting phytoplankton structure in the estuary. BIOENV analysis revealed that, in study period, temperature, salinity, silicate and total phosphorus were the variables that best explained the phytoplankton spatial pattern in the estuary (Spearman correlation, rho=0.803). A generalized linear model (GLM) also identified salinity, silicate and phosphate as having a high explanatory power (63%) of phytoplankton abundance. These selected nutrients appear to be consistent with the requirements of the dominant phytoplankton group, Baccilariophyceae. Apparently, phytoplankton community is adapted to fluctuations in light intensity, as suspended particulate matter did not come out as a key factor in shaping phytoplankton structure along Tagus estuary.