Analysis of the spatio-temporal variability of seawater quality in the southeastern Arabian Gulf. Issue 1 (15th May 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Mezhoud, Nahla; Temimi, Marouane; Zhao, Jun; Al Shehhi, Maryam Rashed; Ghedira, Hosni
• Is Part Of: Marine pollution bulletin. Volume 106:Issue 1/2(2016:May)
• Page Start: 127
• Page End: 138
• Publication Date: 2016-05-15
• Subjects: United Arab Emirates -- Water quality -- Phytoplankton species -- Seasonality; Marine pollution -- Periodicals; Marine Biology -- Periodicals; Water Pollution -- Periodicals; Mer -- Pollution -- Périodiques; Publications périodiques; Pollution des mers; Lutte antipollution; Electronic journals; 363.7394
• DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2016.03.016
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0025-326X

Abstract

Abstract: In this study, seawater quality measurements, including salinity, sea surface temperature (SST), chlorophyll-a (Chl- a ), Secchi disk depth (SDD), pH, and dissolved oxygen (DO), were made from June 2013 to November 2014 at 52 stations in the southeastern Arabian Gulf. Significant variability was noticed for all collected parameters. Salinity showed a decreasing trend, and Chl- a, DO, pH, and SDD demonstrated increasing trends from shallow onshore stations to deep offshore ones, which could be attributed to variations of ocean circulation and meteorological conditions from onshore to offshore waters, and the likely effects of desalination plants along the coast. Salinity and temperature were high in summer and low in winter while Chl- a, SDD, pH, and DO indicated an opposite trend. The CTD profiles showed vertically well-mixed structures. Qualitative analysis of phytoplankton showed a high diversity of species without anomalous species found except in Ras Al Khaimah stations where diatoms were the dominating ones.