Studies on fouling diatoms from the Zuari Estuary, Goa (west coast of India)
Abstract
Very few studies are available in density of fouling diatoms from Zuari estuary, Goa, India. Hence this work was undertaken. In all 49 species of fouling diatoms belonging to 19 genera were recorded on glass slide as panels at 1 m depth in Zuari estuary. Of these 39 species (14 genera) belonged to Pennales and 10 (5 genera) to Centrales. The dominant genera were Navicula, Nitzschia and Amphora. Pennales were dominant over Centrales in diversity. The minima and maxima of number of cells showed an increasing trend from 1st day to 4th day of settlement. However, maximum number of diatoms was recorded on 1st and 3rd day and minimum on 4th day. The number of diatoms was found to be minimum, whenever there was settlement of hydroids on the slides. Seasonal abundance of fouling diatoms was also observed. Minimum number of genera and species during monsoon and high number during premonsoon and postmonsoon were observed. Solitary forms were normally abundant and colonial forms were few. No succession of species or genera was observed although blooms of Nitzschia, Bacillaria, Amphora and Navicula were observed.
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