Phytoplankton composition and abundance assessment in the Nador lagoon (Mediterranean coast of Morocco)

We evaluated phytoplankton abundance, composition and trophic state of the Nador lagoon (Morocco) on the basis of data taken in the period November 2007 to August 2008. Sampling was performed at 11 stations (bottle samples at 0.5 m depth and horizontal plankton net tows with mesh size of 20 mm). Among seven identified phyto- plankton classes, diatoms and dinoflagellates dominated with 133 and 169 species, re- spectively. Frequent phytoplankton blooms were contributed by one to three species in the lagoon. Abundance and seasonality of phytoplankton characterized the Nador lagoon as a highly eutrophicated environment.