Journal of the Marine Biological Association of India

Volume 44 Issue 1&2

Primary productivity in Mandovi-Zuari estuaries in Goa

L. Krishna Kumari, P. M. A. Bhattathiri, S. G. P. Matondkar and Julie John
Abstract

Measurement on primary production, phytoplankton biomass, POC and PON were made for a period of ten months at a coastal station and for fourteen months at two estuarine stations inGoa (west coast of India). Irrespective of surface and bottom, chlorophyll a ranged from 0.07- 2.68 mg/m3 at the coastal station at off Cabo (Stn 1); 0.01-4.33 mg/m3 at Mandovi (Stn 2) and 0.16 to 3.95 mg/m3 at Zuari (Stn 3). PP varied from 0.5 - 54.69 mgC/m3/hr at Stn 1,0.19-67.69 mgC/m3/hr at Stn 2 and 0.17-63.24 mgC/m3/hr at Stn 3. Column productivity ranged from 18.98 to 795.52 mgC/m2/hr (av: 206.21 mgC/m2/hr) at Stn 1,1.46 to145.98 mgC/m2/hr (52.78) at Stn 2 and 6.71 to135.34 mgC/m2/hr (av: 69.98) at Stn. 3.Column chlorophyll ranged from 4.35 to 36.23 mg/m2 (av: 6.19 mg/m? at Stn 3. Phytoplankton biomass in terms of cell density was high in surface waters at Stn 1 and in bottom waters at Stn 2 and 3. Seasonwise surface PP was high during premonsoon at Stn 2 (av: 50.61 mgC/m3/hr) and at Stn 3 (av: 46.72 mg C/m3/hr) and post monsoon at Stn 1 (av : 18.68 mgC/m"/hr). Estimated division rate of phytoplankton ranged from 0.12 to 10 (av: 1.8), 0.11 to 5.9 (av:0.9) and 0.15 to 0.63 (av:0.32) per day respectively for Stn 1,2 and 3. Spatial and temporal difference in surface Chl a and PP between the three stations was found to be significant (P-0.01).

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Date : 30-12-2002