The species diversity and spatial distribution of spores, cysts and vegetative cells of planktonic algae grown from bottom sediments of Odessa port have been studied. From five phyla of Bacillariophyta (32), Dinophyta (11), Chlorophyta (10), Cyanophyta (6), and Chrysophyta (4) 63 algal species have been discovered. The most frequent species include the diatom Skeletonema costatum, Nitzschia closterium, Cerataulina pelagica. All algal species grown from sediments were encountered in phytoplankton of the Odessa port except for the diatom Detonula confervaceae and green Dicellula planctonica. Abudant growth of planktonic algae was observed in bottom sediments collected at small depths which decreased with increasing depths. The number of germinated cells were directly related to the intensity of phytoplankton development.

Keywords: phytoplankton, species diversity, planktonic species, bottom sediments

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