|
Ethnobotanical Leaflets 13: 249-53.
2009.
Influence of Spatial and Temporal Variations
on Phytoplankton Community Structure in
Pachiparai Reservoir, Kanyakumari District, TN, India
P.J. Jepa
Chandera Mohan1,2, S. Godwin Wesley1, S. Ramya2, N. Alaguchamy2, M.
Kalayanasundaram2 and R. Jayakumararaj3
1 Department of
Zoology, Scott Christian College, Nagercoil, KK Dist, TN, IN
2 Department of
Zoology, Raja Doraisingam Government Arts College, Sivagangai � 630561, IN
3 Department of
Botany, RD Government Arts College, Sivagangai � 630561, IN
Issued
30 January 2009
ABSTRACT
Pachiparai Reservoir in Kanyakumari District TN, India is influenced by seasonally reversing monsoon and the
characteristics of the water body influenced by riverine inflow. An effort to
elucidate the spatial and temporal variation in the phytoplankton community
was carried out. The observations were primarily made by during Jan 2004 �
Dec 2004. Average phytoplankton abundance and primary production varied
marginally during the period of study. Surface phytoplankton population
showed seasonal variations and the abundance peaked during the beginning of
North East monsoon (November). The inflow of water during the monsoon into
the reservoir was the prime factor that influenced input of the nutrients and
appeared to enhance the primary production. This study provides the details
of the spatial and temporal variation and explores the implication and
causative factors responsible for the dynamics of the phytoplankton
populations.
KEYWORDS:
Pachiparai Reservoir; Primary Production; Phytoplankton Diversity; Shannon � Weiner diversity index;
Sympson index.
INTRODUCTION�
A number of factors have been attributed to
influence the diversity of fauna and flora in any aquatic ecosystem. An assessment
of biological productivity of any aquatic ecosystem is essential to ascertain
whether the productivity is sufficient enough to support the standing stock
of commercially important fishes. Topical reservoirs are generally
characterized by rich population of Phytoplankton (Srinivasan, 1964). Among
the various factors that influence the diversity of fauna and flora of a
reservoir ecosystem, phytoplankton play a pivotal role in the production of
organic matter, which in tern is decided by the various environmental
factors. Studies on the primary productivity in Indian lentic systems are
meager (Srinivasan, 1964; Joshi et al., 1995; Sukumaran and Dhas 2001;
Shrivastava, 2005). In the present investigation the primary productivity and
phytoplankton diversity in Pachiparai Reservoir in Kanayakumari District TN, India was assessed to provide the present status of primary
productivity and phytoplankton diversity of reservoirs in South India.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
����������� The investigation was carried out over a period of twelve months Jan
2004 to Dec 2004. Phytoplankton samples were collected by filtering the water
through bolting silk cloth (No. 25) and preserved in 4% formalin. The
systematic identification of the phytoplankton was done adopting the standard
keys of Desikachary (1959) and Cramer (1984). The enumeration of
phytoplankton count was carried out with the help of a haemocytometer. The
species diversity indices, viz., Shennon � Weiner diversity index (H1),
Sympson index (SI) and evenness index (D) were computed. Assessment of
primary productivity was done as per the procedures of Apha (1992).
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
In the present study, from the Pachiparai
reservoir at least 13 species of phytoplankton were recorded. Off these 8
species belong to the division Chlorophyta, 3 Chrysophyta and 2 Cyanophtya
(Fig. 1). The division Chlorophyta was comprised of Staurastum longipes and S.
fremantii which were recorded almost through the course of investigation.
Staurodesms sp. did not occur
during Apr and may and Ulothrix sp.
from Dec to Apr. The division Chrysophyta, was mostly represented by Melosira sp. during Jan - Apr, Naviculata sp. Jun - Mar and Botryococcus sp. Feb - Nov. In the
case of Cyanophyta, Oscillatoria
sp. occurred in abundance from Feb - May and Microcystis sp. from Jan � Jul (Fig. 2). In the study period
maximum phytoplankton density (1021 Nos-1) was recorder in the
month of Nov. Stauastum sp. where
recorded through the year, where as Zygnema
sp. was the most abundant species (602 No-1) recorded in the month
of Mar (Table1).
The species diversity H1 ranged
from 1.242 (Sep) to 1.897 (Jan), SI from 0.614 (May) 0.898 (Jul) and J1 from
0.646 (Apr) to 956 (Aug) (Fig. 3).The primary productivity in the planktonic
algae is maximum in the upper photic zone of the water body. Therefore,
assessments of the standing crop and rate of production are important factors
that determine the fishery potential (Salakar and Yearagi, 2004). In the
present study, primary production varied between 1412 mg C m-3d-1
(Sep) to 3902 mg C m-3d-1 (Jan). The high values
of net primary production (NPP) gross primary production (GPP) could be
recorded during the months of Jan, Feb, Jul, Aug and Dec all these months
being the post monsoon period (Fig. 4).
The seasonal abundance of phytoplankton in
Pachiparai reservoir was very high during post secondary monsoon season (Jan
to Mar) than the post primary monsoon season (Aug and Sep). The phytoplankton
population was considerably low during period of high precipitation; this could
be due the high turbid nature of the water in the reservoir which in turn
brings about the decline in the intensity of light that pears though the
water on the upper region (Sugunan, 1980). A direct relationship between
monsoon flow and plankton density has been reported in Richand reservoir
(Nataraj, 1976).
The Shennon � Weiner diversity index (H1)
and Sympson index (SI) of the reservoir increased due to varied proliferation
of phytoplankton during the two post monsoon seasons. This observation is in agreement
with the previous report of Sugunam (1991) for net plankton in
Nagarjunasargar reservoir. Sukumaran and Karthikeyan (1999) recorded similar
observations in the species diversity of peri-phyton in Markonahalli
reservoir. Decline in the values of diversity indices in the southwest
monsoon and northeast monsoon coincide with the decline of species index of
the phytoplankton community. This observation is in accordance with that of
Margalef (1963). The establishment of some species during certain months
during certain months could be attributed to the prevalence of favorable
environmental conditions. Evenness index j was higher in certain months
apparently due to comparable distribution of various genera and the species
in the habitat as affirmed Whilm and Dorris (1968).
Phytoplankton synthesis new organic carbon by
the process of photosynthesis in the present study the values of gross
primary productivity and net primary productivity were higher in the post monsoon
seasons. Subbamma (1993) observed that the population of the phytoplankton
was much higher in the summer than in other seasons. This could be due to the
prolonged day length and high intensity of light during this period.
Srinivasan (1964) observed similar results in the Ammaravathi reservoir. In
the present study the maximum value of NPP was recorded in the post monsoon
period. This could be due to the prolonged availability of light and inflow
of nutrients during the monsoon.��������������������� �����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS��
����������� The
authors are thankful to Principal, RDGAC and Management of Scott Christian
College for their constant support and encouragements. The authors express
their gratitude to Prof. G Muthiah, Head Department of Zoology, RDGAC for
valuable comments and suggestions during the preparation of this manuscript.
REFERENCES
1)
Apha (1992).
Standard method for the examination of water and waste water. 18th Ed.
Washington DC.
2) Desikachary
K (1959). Cyanophyta ICAR Publication. New Delhi, India.
3)
Joshi BD, Bisht RCS and Samual VP (1995).
Primary productivity in Western Ganga cannel at Howrah Indian Journal of
Ecology 21(2):123-126.
4)
Margalef R (1963). On certain unifying
principles in ecology.� An Nat
97:357-374.
5)
Nataraj VV (1976). Fish farming in man made
lakes. Indian farming 26(6):24-33.
6)
Salaskar PB and Yeragi SG (2004). Primary
productivity in Powai lake, Mumbai, Maharashtra. Journal of Aquatic
Biology.19 (1):19-22.
7)
Singh DN and Das AK (2002). Spatial-temporal
distribution of phytoplankton in relation to physio-chemical features in
peninsular lake. Proceeding National Academy of Science, India.
72(3-4):293-303.
8)
Srinivasan A (1964). Hydrological study of a
tropical impoundment Bhavanisagar reservoir, Madras state, India, for the year
1950-61, Hydrobiologia 54:514-539.
9)
Srivastava NP (2005). Plankton status of
Ravisankarsagar reservoir. Journal of Inland fish Society, India.
37(2):43-47.
10)
Subbamma DV (1993). Primary production in
temple pond and a fish pond in AndraPradesh, India. Journal of Aquatic
Biology 18(142):7-9.
11)
Sugunan VV (1991). Changes in the
phytoplankton species diversity index due to artificial impoundment in river
Kroshma at Nagarjunasagar. Journal of Inland Fish Society, India.
23(1):64-74.
12)
Sukumaran PK and Karthikeyan M (1999).
Seasonal abundance and species diversity of periphyton in Markonahalli
reservoir, Karnataka Journal of Inland Fish Society, India 31(2):93-98.
13) Sukumaran
PK and Das AK (2001). Distribution of phytoplankton in some fresh water
reservoir Karnataka. Journal of Inland Fish Society, India. 33(2):29-36.
14) Whilm
JR and Dorris TC (1968). Biological parameters of water quality. Biosciences
18:447-481.
Table 1.� Phytoplankton
Diversity in the Pachiparai Reservoir.
|
�Phytoplankton Species
|
Jan
|
Feb
|
Mar
|
Apr
|
May
|
Jun
|
Jul
|
Aug
|
Sep
|
Oct
|
Nov
|
Dec
|
|
Staurastrum�
longipes
|
11
|
26
|
12
|
04
|
03
|
29
|
32
|
42
|
84
|
64
|
55
|
23
|
|
S. fremantii
|
41
|
46
|
32
|
11
|
03
|
14
|
29
|
39
|
06
|
16
|
21
|
32
|
|
Staurodems sp.
|
08
|
02
|
00
|
00
|
00
|
09
|
24
|
16
|
09
|
12
|
35
|
20
|
|
Odegonium sp.
|
00
|
10
|
14
|
08
|
02
|
00
|
00
|
00
|
00
|
00
|
00
|
00
|
|
Desmidium sp.
|
00
|
11
|
14
|
02
|
03
|
00
|
00
|
00
|
00
|
00
|
00
|
00
|
|
Zygnema sp.
|
36
|
306
|
602
|
262
|
120
|
12
|
00
|
00
|
00
|
00
|
00
|
18
|
|
Spirogyra sp.
|
16
|
26
|
30
|
07
|
02
|
00
|
00
|
00
|
00
|
00
|
00
|
06
|
|
Ulothrix sp.
|
06
|
08
|
06
|
15
|
00
|
00
|
00
|
00
|
00
|
00
|
00
|
03
|
|
Melosira sp.
|
18
|
28
|
48
|
21
|
00
|
00
|
00
|
00
|
00
|
00
|
00
|
00
|
|
Navicula sp.
|
04
|
10
|
14
|
00
|
00
|
10
|
20
|
24
|
26
|
18
|
19
|
16
|
|
Botryococcus sp.
|
00
|
230
|
126
|
110
|
118
|
70
|
46
|
50
|
75
|
32
|
03
|
00
|
|
Oscillatoria sp.
|
00
|
26
|
37
|
18
|
03
|
00
|
00
|
00
|
00
|
00
|
00
|
00
|
|
Microcystis sp.
|
04
|
62
|
86
|
73
|
18
|
03
|
04
|
00
|
00
|
00
|
00
|
00
|
Fig. 1. Divisions of Phytoplanktons in
Pechiparai Resevoir.
Fig. 2. Diversity of Phytoplanktons in
Pechiparai Resevoir.
Fig. 3. Diversity index of the Phytoplanktons in Pechiparai Resevoir.
Fig. 4. NPP and GPP of the Phytoplanktons in
Pechiparai Resevoir.
|