Abstract
The Sundarban is the largest mangrove ecosystem, which is presently vulnerable to climate change related impacts. The western part of it falls in the state of West Bengal between the estuaries of the Hooghly and Ichamati-Raymongal Rivers. The diversity of the genus Ceratium Schrank and the related physicochemical parameters such as Sea Surface Temperature (SST) was studied in the Hooghly-Matla estuary and offshore. Five species of bio-indicator dinoflagellate, Ceratium were identified in the bloom-forming season. The species are: C. furca, C. fusus, C. symmetricum, C. trichoceros and C. tripos. C. symmetricum was not previously reported from the Indian part of the Sundarban and is now found in low abundance. The other four species are less sensitive to warming or rise in SST. A comparative study of the day time SST from the satellite images of the year 2003 to 2009 of the months of January and February reveals a rising winter SST. Compared to the previous years, the increase in temperature can be one of the causative factors to explain the lower abundance of C. symmetricum compared to the others. With further rise of the SST, there is a possibility that this species may no longer be found in abundance in the western part of adjoining Hooghly-Matla estuarine system.
Highlights
Foundation of the foodweb in the marine ecosystem as they perform the critical ecological function of primary production (Nielsen & Jensen 1957; Banerjee & Santra 2001, Verlencer & Desai 2004)
Mialler) Nitzsch and Ceratium symmetricum Pavillard have been found when the day temperature of the surface water ranged between 24.5–25.2 0C, pH between 8.0–8.3, salinity between 26–27 ppt, dissolved oxygen between 4.7–5.2 mg/L and total alkalinity (TA) between 125–150 mg/L
Relative abundance was calculated for each species (Table 2), and showed highest abundance of Ceratium furca, followed by C. fusus, C. tripos, C. trichoceros and C. symmetricum
Summary
Foundation of the foodweb in the marine ecosystem as they perform the critical ecological function of primary production (Nielsen & Jensen 1957; Banerjee & Santra 2001, Verlencer & Desai 2004). The knowledge of phytoplankton species diversity is crucial for any ecological or eco-physiological work on marine phytoplankton. Phytoplankton are highly sensitive to environmental changes. Their community composition, biomass and shifts therein represent an excellent tool to interpret the dynamics of a pelagic ecosystem, transformation, cycling of key elements and the impact on coastal water quality. Phytoplankton help to detect variations induced by river discharge, eutrophication, pollution and even
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