The bloom of Macro-algae Cladophora glomerata in the Iranian Coasts of Caspian Sea(summer-2018)

Macro-algae as primary producers play an important role in energy shift to higher levels of the food chain. The severe proliferation of macro-algae has been reported from various coasts of the Iranian region of the Caspian Sea in the summer of 2018. Based on microscopic observations of the collected samples, the macro-algae population was mainly formed by Cladophora glomerata (Chlorophyta division). This native macro-algae of the Caspian Sea has a potential growth in freshwater ecosystems and many coasts around the world. The physico-chemical results of water showed the significant increases of nutrients compare to the previous data. It seems that, stablity of high temperature support the invasion growth of cladophora glomerata as well as high light and nutrients availability in summer. Reduction of loading phosphorus (especially from point sources) into the ecosystem and decreasing of unnessecary adhesive bases (natural/ man-made) are the most effective methods for controlling and reducing the Cladophora glomerata mass.