Résumé: In order to assess the impact of bacterial input loads in Bizerte lagoon (Northern Tunisia), a seasonal survey was done for total coliform bacteria covering the whole lagoon area, to reproduce and prevent dispersion of input loads of terrestrial discharges in the lagoon. Effect of solar radiation on Escherichia coli strains was investigated using seawater microcosms comparatively exposed to sunlight and dark conditions. The results revealed (i) high charges of coliforms in the sediment rather than in the water column, (ii) total coliforms increased periodically with season in both compartments, (iii) anthropogenic discharges influence coastal areas of the lagoon, and (iv) solar radiation has an effect on decay rate of E. coli maintained in microcosm experiments.

Résumé: This is the first study on the dinoflagellate cysts in Algerian waters and in Mellah Lagoon (South Western Mediterranean), located within a protected reserve. In total, 42 species of dinocysts belonging to 7 orders, 12 families and 23 genera, were identified in the 26 superficial sediment samples from Mellah Lagoon. The distribution of dinocysts in the sediment of this lagoon is heterogeneous. Indeed, their abundance oscillates between 1 and 315 cysts g(-1) dry sediment (DS). Cyst morphotype assemblages were dominated by a few numbers of species: Alexandrium minutum (15.87%), Gonyaulax verior (9.81%), Protoperidinium spp. (7.74%), Alexandrium affine (7.05%), Scrippsiella trochoidea (6.67%), and Alexandrium pseudogonyaulax (6.19%). There is a positive correlation between the density of cysts and the depth (r = 0.61; p < 0.05), organic matter (r = 0.70; p < 0.05), water content (r = 0.71; p < 0.05), and the fine fraction of sediment (r = 0.74; p < 0.05). Surprisingly, although the Mellah Lagoon is almost semi-closed, it holds an important specific richness in dinocysts (42 species) higher than others observed in Mediterranean lagoons. However, cyst abundances are low compared to other lagoons in the Mediterranean Sea. Finally, the presence of dinocysts of Alexandrium catenella/tamarense, A. minutum, and Gymnodinium catenatum associated to paralytic shellfish toxins, A. pseudogonyaulax which produces goniodomin A, also Protoceratium reticulatum and Gonyaulax spinifera complex which produce yessotoxins, needs to implement a monitoring program to prevent a potential human intoxication due to the consumption of contaminated sea products by these potent neurotoxins.

Résumé: Studies on phytoplankton and in particular Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) species in southern Mediterranean waters are scarce. We performed from April 2008 to June 2009 weekly investigations on microphytoplankton community structure and abundance in two contrasted marine ecosystems located in the western Moroccan Mediterranean coast, M'diq Bay and Oued Laou Estuary. Simultaneously, we measured the main physico-chemical parameters. Globally, the two studied areas showed comparable values of the assessed abiotic environmental factors. Temperature and salinity followed seasonal variation with values ranging from 13.5 degrees C to 21.4 degrees C and 31 to 36.8, respectively. Average nutrient values in surface water ranged from 0.7 to 45.76 mu M for dissolved inorganic nitrogen, 0.02-2.10 mu M for PO4 and 0.23-17.46 mu M for SiO4 in the study areas. A total of 92 taxa belonging to 8 taxonomic classes were found. The highest number of microphytoplankton abundance reached 1.2 x 10(6) cells L-1 with diatoms being the most abundant taxa. Factorial Discriminant Analysis (FDA) and Spearman correlation test showed a significant seasonal discrimination of dominant microphytoplankton species. These micro-organisms were associated with different environmental variables, in particular temperature and salinity. Numerous HABs species were encountered regularly along the year. Although Dinophysis species and Prorocentrum lima were present in both sites, no Lipophilic Shellfish Poisoning was detected for the analyzed bivalve mollusks. Domoic acid (DA), produced by toxic species of Pseudo-nitzschia was found with concentrations up to 18 mu g DA g(-1) in the smooth clam Callista chione. Data showed that the observed persistent and dramatic Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP) intoxication of mollusks resulted probably of Gymnodinium catenatum proliferations in both studied areas. Contrary to C. chione, the cockle Achanthocardia tuberculatum showed a permanent and extremely high toxicity level during the 15 months survey with up to 7545 mu g Equivalent Saxitoxin kg(-1) flesh (ten times higher than the sanitary threshold of 800 tg eqSTX Kg(-1) flesh). The present work highlights for the first time the dynamic of microphytoplankton including HABs species and their associated toxin accumulation in the commercially exploited shellfish in the southern western Mediterranean waters of Morocco. Furthermore, the acquired data will help us to improve the monitoring of HABs species and related toxins in these coastal marine systems.