The Variation of Plankton Community Structure in Artificial Reef Area and Adjacent Waters in Haizhou Bay.

Plankton are an important component of marine protected areas (MPAs), and its communities would require much smaller interpatch distances to ensure connection among MPAs. According to the survey from MPAs dominated by artificial reefs and adjacent waters (estuary area (EA), aquaculture area (AA), artificial reef area (ARA), natural area (NA) and comprehensive effect area (CEA)) in Haizhou Bay in spring and autumn, we analyzed phyto-zooplankton composition, abundance and biomass, and correlation with hydrologic variables to gain information about the forces that structure the plankton. The results showed that the dominant zooplankton were copepods (spring, 98.9%; autumn, 94.2%), while the phytoplankton were mainly composed of Bacillariophyta (spring, 61.8%; autumn, 95.6%). The RDA results showed that temperature, salinity and depth highly associated with the distribution and composition of plankton species among the habitats than other factors in spring; temperature, Chla and DO had the strongest influence in autumn. The zooplankton in the ARA and AA ecosystems basically contained the same species as those in other habitats, and each habitat also exhibited a relatively unique combination of plankton species. The structures of the EA zooplankton in spring and the EA phytoplankton in both seasons were much different than other habitats, which may have been caused by factors such as currents and tides. We concluded that there exists similarity of the plankton community between artificial reef area and adjacent waters, whereas the EAs may be relatively independent systems. Therefore, these interaction between plankton community should be considered when designing MPA networks, and ocean circulations should be considered more than the environmental factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]