10.25607/7asluk 7d70a250-4507-4a60-b5c6-ef778ed38fa2 https://ipt.medobis.eu/resource?r=phytomonastirbay2018 10.25607/tzbgyk Rafika Challouf University of Carthage, National Institute of Marine Sciences and Technologies (INSTM), Marine Biodiversity Laboratory General Engineer

Salammbô, Tunisia Monastir 5000 TUNISIA

21622700897 Rafika.Challouf@instm.rnrt.tn 0000-0002-1424-1716 Walid Medhioub University of Carthage, National Institute of Marine Sciences and Technologies (INSTM), Aquaculture Laboratory Assistant professor

Monastir 50000 TUNISIA

walid.medhioub@instm.rnrt.tn 0000-0003-1491-5917 Mohamed Néjib Medhioub University of Carthage, National Institute of Marine SciUniversity of Carthage, National Institute of Marine Sciences and Technologies (INSTM), Aquaculture Laboratoryences and Technologies (INSTM), Aquaculture Laboratory Professor

Monastir 5000 TUNISIA

mednejib.medhioub@instm.rnrt.tn 0000-0002-1679-5261 Rafika Challouf University of Carthage, National Institute of Marine Sciences and Technologies (INSTM), Marine Biodiversity Laboratory General Engineer

Salammbô, Tunisia Monastir 5000 TUNISIA

21622700897 Rafika.Challouf@instm.rnrt.tn 0000-0002-1424-1716 Ioannis Rallis Institute of Marine Biology, Biotechnology and Aquaculture - Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (IMBBC-HCMR) Data Manager - Marine Biologist

Heraklion GREECE

i.rallis@hcmr.gr https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ioannis-Rallis-3 CUSTODIAN_STEWARD Dimitra Mavraki HCMR-IMBBC Data manager

Thalassocosmos, Former American Base Heraklion Crete 71003 GREECE

dmavraki@hcmr.gr https://imbbc.hcmr.gr/ 0000-0001-6775-530X CUSTODIAN_STEWARD 2026-04-27 ENGLISH The dataset includes measurements of key environmental parameters such as temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, and nutrient concentrations, together with data on phytoplankton composition and abundance. These data can be used to evaluate the influence of aquaculture activities on water quality and phytoplankton dynamics in coastal Mediterranean ecosystems. Samplingevent GBIF Dataset Type Vocabulary: http://rs.gbif.org/vocabulary/gbif/dataset_type_2015-07-10.xml Diversity Toxic microalgae Phytoplankton Species composition Mediterranean Sea Aquaculture none This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) 4.0 License . Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International https://spdx.org/licenses/CC-BY-4.0.html CC-BY-4.0 https://ipt.medobis.eu/archive.do?r=phytomonastirbay2018 Sampling took place in the Bay of Monastir (Mediterranean Sea, Tunisia) 10.803 11.121 35.826 35.617 2018-02-20 2018-10-26 All phytoplankton were identified to genus or species, including dinoflagellates, diatoms, cyanobacteria, and euglenophytes. Silicoflagellates, foraminifera, and ciliates were identified to genus. Zooplankton and bivalve larvae were recorded as broad taxonomic categories. Achnanthes Alexandrium Amphidinium Amphidinium carterae Amphiprora Amphisolenia Amphora Anabaena Asteromphalus Bacillaria Bacteriastrum Biddulphia Biddulphia alternans Cerataulina Ceratium Ceratium belone Ceratium candelabrum Ceratium furca Ceratium fusus Ceratium incisum Ceratium inflatum Ceratium lineatum Ceratium longipes Ceratium macroceros Ceratium massiliense Ceratium pentagonum Ceratium teres Ceratium tripos Ceratocorys Chaetoceros Chaetoceros peruvianum Ciliophora Climacosphena Cocconeis Cochlodinium Coolia Coolia monotis Copepoda Coscinodiscus Cryptophyceae Dactyliosolen Detonula Dictyocha Dinophysis caudata Dinophysis rotundata Dinophysis tripos Diplopsalopsis Ebria Euglenophyceae Foraminifera Fragillaria Goniodoma sphaericum Gonyaulax Gonyaulax digitale Gonyaulax polyedra Gonyaulax spinifera Grammatophora Guinardia Guinardia delicatula Gymnodinium Gymnodinium breve Gymnodinium veneficum Gyrodinium Gyrodinium fusiforme Gyrosigma Haslea Hemiaulus Hermissinium Karenia papilionacea Karenia selliformis Karlodinium veneficum Leptocylindrus Licmophora Lyrella Melosira Merismopedia Microcystis Navicula Nitzschia Nitzschia fontifuga Nitzschia longissima Noctiluca Octactis octonaria Oscillatoria Oxyphysis oxytoxoides Oxyrrhis marina Oxytoxum Oxytoxum elegans Oxytoxum sceptrum Paralia Peridinium Pinnularia Plagiotropis Pleurosigma Podolampas bipes Polykrikos Pronoctiluca Prorocentrum Prorocentrum compressum Prorocentrum gracile Prorocentrum lima Prorocentrum micans Prorocentrum minimum Prorocentrum rathymum Prorocentrum triestinum Protoperidinium Protoperidinium claudicans Protoperidinium conicum Protoperidinium curtipes Protoperidinium curvipes Protoperidinium depressum Protoperidinium diabolum Protoperidinium divergens Protoperidinium elegans Protoperidinium globulus Protoperidinium minutum Protoperidinium ovum Protoperidinium pallidum Protoperidinium pellucidum Protoperidinium pyriforme Protoperidinium quinquecorne Protoperidinium steinii Pseudo-nitzschia Pyrophacus Rhabdonema Rhizosolenia Rhizosolenia robusta Scrippsiella trochoidea Skeletonema costatum Spirulina subsalsa Striatella unipunctata Thalassionema Thalassiosira Tintinnopsis Cyanobacteria unkown Rafika Challouf University of Carthage, National Institute of Marine Sciences and Technologies (INSTM), Marine Biodiversity Laboratory General Engineer

Salammbô, Tunisia Monastir 5000 TUNISIA

21622700897 Rafika.Challouf@instm.rnrt.tn 0000-0002-1424-1716 Walid Medhioub University of Carthage, National Institute of Marine Sciences and Technologies (INSTM), Aquaculture Laboratory Assistant professor

Monastir 5000 TUNISIA

walid.medhioub@instm.rnrt.tn 0000-0003-1491-5917 Seawater temperature and dissolved oxygen (DO) were measured directly in situ using an electronic thermometer (LUTRON®BC-4308) and a DO meter (PCE®-WO2 10), respectively. To determine the concentration of SM, 1.5 liters of seawater was collected and filtered on pre-weighed GF/C 0.45 µm filters (WHATMAN®). Subsequently, filters were dried in an oven at 100 ◦C for 24 h and total SM weight (mg L-1) was estimated according to the differential weighing method of Aminot and Chaussepied (1983). Transparency of the water (in meters) was measured using a Secchi Disk as described by Testa et al. (2019). Nutrients (i.e., NO2−, NO3−, NH4+, PO43−, and Si(OH)4) were analyzed with a Bran+Luebbe type 3 auto-analyzer and concentrations were determined colorimetrically, using a UV-visible (6400/6405) spectrophotometer. For Chlorophyll a (Chl a), two liters of seawater were filtered, through 200–250 µm pore size membrane filters to remove large particulate matter and zooplankton. The eluate was filtrated on GF/C 0.45 µm filters (WHATMAN®). Chl a was extracted with 10 ml of acetone 90% for 24 hours at 4 ◦C then the absorbance at two wavelengths (665 µm and 750 µm) were determined before and after acidification using 100 µl of HCL 0.3 M according to Aminot and Chaussepied, (1983). The identification and enumeration of phytoplankton (including dinoflagellate cysts) and the estimate of abundance of the different algal groups were made using an inverse phase microscope based on the Utermohl (1931) and Sournia (1987) methods. The identification of the various phytoplankton taxa was achieved through the determination keys of Trégouboff and Rose (1957), Huber-Pestalozzi (1968) and Balech (1988). Phytoplankton density (expressed in cells l-1) is determined using the following formula: N = (n*1000)/V N: Total number of phytoplankton cells contained in one liter n: number of cells V: Volume of sedimentation cuve (ml) The study was conducted in the offshore fish farm in Monastir, Tunisia (Mediterranean Sea) from February to October 2018. The project focused on phytoplankton taxa .Water samples were collected with a 5-L Niskin bottle. This study was conducted at a sea bream and sea bass aquaculture farm (35°45.902′ N, 10°55.548′ E) located in Monastir Bay near the Monastir-Kuriates Islands, approximately 15 km from the Tunisian Mediterranean coast, at a water depth of 28 m. The farm has been in operation since 2008. Sampling was carried out at four stations in the offshore waters of Monastir (Tunisia, Mediterranean Sea). Stations S1, S2, and S3 were located within the aquaculture farm, whereas station S4 was situated outside the farm and served as a control site. Sampling was conducted seasonally from February to October 2018. Seawater samples were collected using a 5-L Niskin bottle at three depths (0 m, 15 m, and 25 m). The collected samples were preserved and transported to the laboratory for phytoplankton identification and physicochemical analyses. Water samples (1 L) to be used for phytoplankton enumeration were preserved with formol solution (3‰) and stored in the dark at 4 °C.Water samples for nutrient analyses (60 mL) were collected and preserved immediately at − 20 °C in the dark. Water samples for suspended matter analysis were filtered by vacuum filtration through Whatman GF/C glass fiber filters, and the filters were immediately stored at − 20 °C. Investigating the potential for mussel aquaculture off the coast of Monastir, including assessment of environmental conditions, growth potential, and sustainable farming practices for Mytilus galloprovincialis and Perna perna. This work was supported by the National Institute of Marine Sciences and Technologies (INSTM) Mediterranean Sea The research tasks within this project were carried out by researchers from the National Institute of Marine Sciences and Technologies (INSTM). The team was responsible for field sampling, environmental monitoring, phytoplankton identification, and data analysis. Activities included the collection of plankton samples, laboratory identification of phytoplankton taxa, and the evaluation of environmental conditions related to the potential farming of the mussels Mytilus galloprovincialis and Perna perna off the coast of Monastir (Tunisia). 2026-05-08T00:00:01Z Challouf R, Medhioub W, Medhioub M N (2026). Patterns of phytoplankton community structure and diversity in offshore finfish cages in the Mediterranean Sea (Monastir Bay, Tunisia, 2018). Version 2.3. Hellenic Center for Marine Research. Sampling event dataset https://doi.org/10.25607/7asluk accessed via GBIF.org on 2026-05-08. Medhioub, W., Challouf, R., Laabir, M., Limayem, Y., Bchir, S., Slimeni, W., ... & Azaza, M. S. (2023). Potential to produce brown mussel integrated to a net-cage fish farm in a Mediterranean bay. Aquaculture Reports, 31, 101674. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/fr/8/8e/Logo_de_l%27INSTM_%28Dar_El_Hout%29.gif