Investigation of phytoplankton blooms in Oman coastal waters with emphasis on microalgae Noctiluca scintillans

One of the most important phenomena in marine waters is phytoplankton blooms or tides. A sudden increase in marine microalgae can be seen in coastal or offshore seas and oceans. These blooms can be related to toxic or non-toxic microalgae, which in general will lead to a decrease in water-soluble oxygen and thus the loss of aquatic life. In toxic blooms, there is a greater danger lurking for aquatic animals as well as humans because the released toxins attack the gills, liver and all aquatic organisms and thus have a direct and indirect impact on the economy, health and biosafety of beach dwellers. In recent years, many reports have been published about the occurrence and spread of various phytoplankton tides in the northern parts of the Oman Sea (Iran) and the south (Oman and other related areas), and the algae that cause the blooms have been identified and introduced. One of the most common and widespread was the bloom related to the microalgae of the genus Noctiluca scintillans. In this study, the history of phytoplankton blooms in the waters of the Oman Sea, the probable cause of their occurrence, phytoplankton populations with high prevalence and in particular the blooms related to the genus N. scintillans will be investigated.