| Abstract: | Many factors have ken put forward to account for the development of nuisance phytoplankton blooms in coastal zones. Usually hydrological factors as temperature or salinity stratification and adequate nutrient and trace metal availability are held responsible for the phenomenon. The most frequent causative organisms for nuisance blooms are dinoflagellates, many of which have a dormant stage (resting cyst) in their life cycle. The role of the complex life-strategies of these forms in initiating bloom formation is the focus of this study. Special attention is given to 25 different dinoflagellate resting cyst types isolated from recent German North Sea and Baltic Sea sediments, and their germination frequency under different environmental conditions. Also, the role of cyst resuspension in relationship to the timing, persistence and recurrence of dinoflagellate blooms is extensive discussed. |
