Phytoplankton pigments and macrobenthos in nearshore waters off an oil terminal at Uran (Maharashtra), west coast of India
Abstract
Significant temporal and tidal variations of chlorophyll a (2.11-11.8 mg m sup(-3)) were noticed. Chlorophyll a was less during low tide (av. 3.8 mg m sup(-3)) as compared to high tide (av. 8.1 mg m sup(-3)). The predominance of Nitzschia closterium, Skeletonema costatum and Melosira sulcata especially during ebb suggested their tolerance to petroleum wastes. The Rocky intertidal zone showed higher macrofaunal density at the upper zone (av 6992 m sup(-2)) as compared to lower zone (av 1373 m sup(-2)) whereas the biomass ws comparable between the two zones. The subtidal regions had poor faunal group diversity, faunal density (av 250 m sup(-2)) and biomass (av 0.2 mg sup(-2)) associated with clayey silt bottom enriched with organic matter (3.3%). The subtidal fauna and sediment quality indicate a reducing trend in macrofaunal population and biomass over a period of 8 years.
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