EVIDENCE OF A HIGH-PRODUCTIVITY AREA OFF THE COAST OF MALAGA FROM STUDIES OF DIATOMS IN SURFACE SEDIMENTS

The assemblages of diatoms contained in nineteen surface sediment samp les recovered off the coast of Malaga province (Spain) between 5 degre es W and 4 degrees 38'W have been analysed. The variations observed in the diatom assemblage point to the presence of nutrient-enriched wate rs, transported laterally from the centre of an upwelling that occurs to the west of the study area. The utility of species such as Paralia sulcata, Thalassionema nitzschioides and the spores of Chaetoceros spp . in the reconstruction of physico-chemical and biological characteris tics and of the spatial structure of the upwelling is confirmed. (C) 1 998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.