Journal of the Marine Biological Association of India

Benthic microalgae on a sheltered intertidal mudflat in Kuwait Bay of the Northern Arabian Gulf

Volume 49 Issue 1

Al-Mohanna, S.Y., P.George and M.N.V.Subrahmanyam

Abstract

The sheltered intertidal mudflats of Kuwait Bay have scanty macrophytes but are rich in microflora. The
dominant epipsammic organisms of the microbial mats are cyanobacteria. Dominant cyanobacterial forms
include Microcoleus chthonoplastes, Oscillatoria nigro-viridis, and Lyngbya aestuarii. Algal biomass (measured
as chlorophyll a concentrations) varied at the three study sites (A, S and K) reflecting their relative
shelteredness. The mean annual chlorophyll a concentrations at sites A and S were 57 mg chl a m-2 and 315
mg chl a m-2 respectively. The most sheltered site K had a mean annual chlorophyll a concentration of 815
mg chl a m-2. Seasonal variation in the total epipsammic mat biomass contribution to the bay from the three
sites was not observed reflecting its perennial nature in the sheltered Sulaibikhat Bay of Kuwait Bay.

Keywords

Cyanobacteria, microflora, epipsammic, biomass, intertidal mudflats, Kuwait Bay

Date : 20-02-2008