Nutrient regimes and their effect on distribution of phytoplankton in the Bay of Bengal

Abstract

The seasonal dynamics of nutrient ratios and abundance of phytoplankton cells from the central (CB) and western (WB) Bay of Bengal (BOB) were studied during the fall intermonsoon (FIM; September-October 2002) and spring intermonsoon (SpIM; April-May 2003). The nutrient molar ratios of macronutrients such as nitrate to phosphate (N:P), nitrate to silicate (N:Si) and silicate to phosphate (Si:P) in the top 120 m were calculated for both FIM and SpIM. During both the seasons, the N:P ratios along the CB and WB were lower than 16, indicating nitrate deficiency. Whereas, along both transects the N:Si ratio was less than 1 and Si:P greater than 3 in the top 20 and 40 m during FIM and SpIM, respectively, indicating Si enrichment. Relatively greater nutrient concentrations along the WB than the CB appear to contribute to higher phytoplankton abundance. The preponderance of diatoms in the Bay could be attributed to rapid utilization of available nutrients in particular during FIM thus resulting in low N:Si ratios in the water column. Among diatoms, pennales were predominantly controlled by nutrients and their ratios. While, apart from nutrients, physical stratification, light and eddies also seem to influence the distribution and abundance of centrales.