Journal of the Marine Biological Association of India

Primary productivity in Mandovi-Zuari estuaries in Goa

Volume 44 Issue 1&2

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).

Date : 30-12-2002