Journal of the Marine Biological Association of India

Hydrological and zooplankton biomass variation in Palk Bay and Gulf of Mannar along the east coast of India

Volume 41 Issue 1&2

C. Maruthanayagam and P. Subramanian

Abstract

Data on the hydrological factors and zooplankton biomass variations, salinity, dissolvexi oxygen and nutrient salts in the inshore watem of the Palk Bay and Gulf of Mannar (three different stations) during the period November 1993 to October 1995 are presented. The total biomass, total plankton volume and number of zooplankton showed little variation between the stations. The Station I is slightly rich in terms of both volume and number of zooplankton followed by the stations III and 11. The atmospheric temperature of the three stations fluctuated between 2S0C and 23OC, the surface water temperature was always little lower than the atmospheric temperature. Salinity showed a regular seasonal cycle, DO content maximum and minimum values fall on monsoon and summer months respectively. The maximum rainfall of 330 mm in stations I and I1 and 240 mm in stations I11 was recorded during moon months. A high TDS concentration in Station I coincided with northeast monsoon and at stations I and 111 with southwest monsoon. The nutrient load was high during the northeast monsoon  in the Station I and 11, but in the station 111 it was during southwest monsoon the maximum nutrient load was observed when compared to other stations.

Keywords

keywords

Date : 30-12-1999