Spatial and temporal variations in phytoplankton in coral reef and seagrass ecosystems of the Palk Bay, southeast coast of India.
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Date
2010-09
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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.
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Keywords
Phytoplankton, Palk Bay, Coral reef, Seagrass, Ecosystem
Citation
Sridhar R, Thangaradjou T, Kannan L. Spatial and temporal variations in phytoplankton in coral reef and seagrass ecosystems of the Palk Bay, southeast coast of India. Journal of Environmental Biology. 2010 Sept; 31(5suppl): 765-771.