Bloom report of Noctiluca scintillans, Gymnodinium wulfii and Guinardia delicatula from Shastri Estuary, West Coast of India

Abstract

The present study reports the concurrent blooms of Noctiluca scintillans, Gymnodinium wulfii and Guinardia delicatula from Shastri Estuary. The bloom of Gymnodinium wulfii is reported for the first time from the west coast of India. Additionally, the blooms of the three phytoplankton are also reported for the first time from Shastri Estuary. The environmental relationships of these blooms was studied using CCA and it was observed that Noctiluca scintillans and Gymnodinium wulfii displayed a positive correlation with temperature, salinity, phosphate and nitrate while Guinardia delicatula showed affinity towards silicate and ammonia. Considering that the density of chaetognaths and jellyfish, the major predators of copepods was not sufficient enough for the reduction of copepod density, the reduced copepod abundance is attributed to the toxic thin layer of dinoflagellate blooms.