Characterization of the physico-chemical parameters of the surface water in Al-Hoceima Bay, Morocco

Abstract

Al Hoceima Bay, located on Morocco's Mediterranean coast, is a very important ecosystem characterized mainly by seaside tourism and sea fishing. Continental inputs and climate change generally contribute to modifying the environmental parameters that characterize coastal waters. This work aims to characterize the seasonal and spatial variation of the physico-chemical parameters of the surface waters of Al-Hoceima Bay during an annual cycle in the context of global change. Four sampling campaigns (autumn, winter, spring, summer) were conducted during the period 2022-2023 in a sampling network of 15 stations covering all areas of the bay. Surface water samples were collected and analyzed by a multi-parameter instrument. The results show a significant seasonal variation (p < 0.01) for parameters analyzed. Temperatures ranged from 15.59°C to 21.8°C, pH ranged from 7.8 to 8.4. Dissolved oxygen ranged from 3.7 mg/l to 7 mg/l. Salinity ranged from 35.7 g/l to 39.5 g/l. Conductivity ranged from 54 ms/cm to 56.5 ms/cm.