Seasonal Changes of Chlorophyll a and Environmental Characteristics in the Sea of Oman

ABSTRACT

Monthly estimates of chlorophyll a, temperature, salinity, and nutrients were collected through sampling at two stations from January 2001 to January 2002, in and near Bandar Al-Khyran, the largest semi-enclosed bay on the southern coast of the Sea of Oman. Although the sampling location was at the limit of the tropical range, the seasonal changes of the coastal phytoplankton were more related to temperate dynamics, showing seasonal fluctuation of more than 10o C. Sharp temperature drops observed in August and July were likely due to rises of the thermocline under the influence of coastal upwelling events or to deep water injections along the north coast of Oman generated by changes in the coastal wind patterns. Overall, small phytoplanktonic cells [0.7-5 μm] dominated the phytoplankton community of the mixed layer with an average of 69.7 % and 73.5 % of the extracted chlorophyll a at the station “Inside” and “Outside” the bay, respectively.