Coccolithophores were collected at 21 stations during summer 2016, from coastal and offshore areas of the Central Mediterranean Sea, to describe the ecology of the coccolithophore community integrating information on their abundance, environmental parameters (salinity, temperature, dissolved oxygen, and fluorescence) and oceanographic data. Emiliania huxleyi dominated the assemblage from surface to intermediate layers, while Florisphaera profunda was more abundant in the deep photic zone. Principal Component Analysis revealed that the distribution of coccolithophore taxa was influenced by environmental parameters: K-strategist taxa were related to warm surface waters, whereas lower photic zone taxa were influenced by the development of a Deep Chlorophyll Maximum and high salinity values, well below the thermocline. These results confirmed that a vertical species zonation, as a typical feature of low-middle latitude, characterizes the Central Mediterranean during summer. The distribution of F. profunda once again confirmed its use as a proxy of Deep Chlorophyll Maximum development and paleoproductivity estimates. Gephyrocapsa spp. (= total Gephyrocapsa), and in particular G. oceanica, were more abundant along the Atlantic Water pathway. Finally, the high concentration value of Helicosphaera carteri, recorded in the Ligurian Sea at an offshore station, suggested an expansion of the opportunist nature of this taxon from coastal environments to the offshore areas characterized by high turbidity and high productivity.

在2016年夏季，从中地中海沿岸和近海地区的21个站点收集了球墨石藻，描述了球石藻群落的生态学，并结合了其丰度，环境参数（盐度，温度，溶解氧和荧光）和海洋学方面的信息数据。Emiliania huxleyi主导了从表层到中间层的组合，而Florisphaera profunda在深光区更丰富。主成分分析表明，球石藻类群的分布受环境参数的影响：钾策略家类群与温暖的地表水有关，而较低的光合带类群则受深​​叶绿素最大值和高盐度值的影响，远低于该值。温跃层。这些结果证实，垂直物种区划是中低纬度的典型特征，是夏季地中海中部的特征。F. profunda的分布再次证实其可作为深叶绿素最大发育和古生产力估计的替代物。Gephyrocapsa spp。（=总Gephyrocapsa），尤其是G. oceanica，沿大西洋水域的路径更为丰富。最后，利古里亚海离岸站记录到的高浓度的Helicosphaera carteri表明，该分类单元的机会主义性质已从沿海环境扩展到浊度高，生产率高的近海区域。