Spatial and temporal
variations in phytoplankton in coral reef and seagrass
ecosystems of the Palk Bay,
southeast coast of India
R. Sridhar1, T. Thangaradjou*2
and L. Kannan3
1Ministry of Environment and Forests, Paryavaran
Bhawan,
CGO Complex,? Lodhi Road,? New Delhi
- 110 003, India
2,3Centre
of Advanced Study in Marine Biology, Faculty of Marine Science, Annamalai University, Parangipettai -
608 502, India
(Received: October 24, 2009; Revised received: February 17,2010; Accepted: February 26, 2010)
Abstract:
Spatial and temporal behavior of distribution of phytoplankton of the coral
reef and seagrass environment of the Palk
Bay was studied during
April 2002 to March 2003. A total of 133 species of phytoplankton was recorded
during the study period, of which, 98 species belong to Bacillariophyceae,
15 species belong to Dinophyceae, 12 species belong
to Cyanophyceae and
8 species belong to Chlorophyceae. Diatoms (57.14 to
94.10%) contributed more towards the percentage composition of different groups
of phytoplankton at the two stations, followed by dinoflagellates
(3.12 to 28.57%), blue-greens (2.43 to 12.5%) and greens (3.7 to 7.69%). Higher
phytoplankton population density was recorded during the summer season at both
stations (St.1. 62,000 cells l-1 and St.2. 55,000 cells l-1).
Coral reef environment was two-fold more productive (2.10-130.21 mg C m-3
hr-1) than the seagrass environment (3.30
- 85.56 mg C m-3 hr-1). Chlorophyll ?a? concentration
showed higher values at station 1, corresponding to the higher phytoplankton
population density recorded at this station along with primary productivity.
Key words: Phytoplankton, Palk Bay,
Coral reef, Seagrass, Ecosystem
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