INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SCIENTIFIC & TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH VOLUME 9, ISSUE 03, MARCH 2020 ISSN 2277-8616 Predominantly Occurring Phytoplankton In Ariyankuppam Coastal Waters, Southeast Coast Of India M. Punithavalli, K. Sivakumar Abstract: The study were conducted for six months covering summer and pre monsoon seasons to analyze the seasonal variation on phytoplankton in relation with hydrological parameters in Ariyankuppam coastal waters, south east coast of India. The physico-chemical parameters such as atmospheric temperature from 32.16 to 34.23°C, water temperature from 31.13 to 33°C, pH from 8.0 to 8.3, salinity from 29.33 to 33.66‰, dissolved oxygen 3.7 to 4.06 mg/l and nitrate 0.06 to 0.095(mg/l). A total of 25 taxa were recorded dominated by Bacillariophyceae (19) followed by Dinophyceae (5) and Cyanophyceae (1). Further predominantly occurring marine phytoplankton were Coscinodiscus radiatus, Odontella mobiliensis, Navicula sp, Thalassiosira sp, Triceratium sp, Pluerosigma sp, Skeletonema sp, Ceratium furca, Ceratium sp, Dinophysis tripos and Protoperidinium depressum. Commonly occurred genera, Chaetoceros (Chaetocerotaceae), Coscinodiscus (Coscinodiscaceae) and Navicula (Naviculaceae), were subjected to Energy Dispersive Spectroscopic analysis (EDS). They were found to accumulate different, element such as Na, Mg, Si, Cl, K, Cu, Zn, Cr and Fe. Among these the member Chaetoceros contained Na, Mg, Si, Cl, K, Cu and Zn, Coscinodiscus Na, Mg, Si, Cl, Cu, Zn and Navicula Mg, Si, Cl, K, Cu, Zn, Cr and Fe. Thus these observations would determine the chemical dialogue between the cell structures and role of the elements. Further, it gives the clue about the phytoplankton growth requirements. Keywords: Ariyankuppam, Physico-chemical parameters, Phytoplankton, SEM-EDS ———————————————————— 1 INTRODUCTION The concept of employing plankton as indicator species and Phytoplankton act as important component of the marine species diversity is also the basis for functional compensation, ecosystem, liberate oxygen during photosynthesis and aid in which may leads to the effect of biodiversity on ecosystem exchange process [14] and are very sensitive to change in its functioning through compensatory dynamics. The species environment before it becomes visible on higher tropic levels and present in a community have functional roles, this may be excessive they live in any alteration in the environment leads to expected to increase total production and also include their the change in the plankton communities in terms of tolerance, abundance and biomass or growth (blooms) of algal species abundance, diversity and dominance in the habitat [6]. They play because of anthropogenic activities [1]. But still there are many a major role in global warming, by reducing the global corban such aquatic ecosystem that remains unexplored. The dioxide level [26]. The relationship between phytoplankton and Ariyankuppam seashore is one among them which has not nutrient is highly dynamics and always been the major focus received due attention. Hence, the present work is an attempt to among the explicate experimental ecology [8]. The various study the influence of physico-chemical parameters of water on anthropogenic activities are increased, which in turn to enhance phytoplankton population, species composition and community the nutrient concentration and the leads to high productivity in organization. The chemical composition of phytoplankton coastal environment [22]. The investigations of hydrological sample used for their calibration has been currently features are necessary for assessing the fertility and productivity determines by bulk analysis technique [5]. This leads to of any ecosystems [21]. The physico-chemical parameters estimation of elemental concentration for the whole samples quantity of nutrients studies of phytoplankton have been utilized without separation into separate constituents eg., algae, to assess the diversity, ecology and quantity of water of the detritus, small animal, etc., inevitably such data on natural plankton [20, 31]. Coastal ecosystem is highly vulnerable to bloom of various phytoplankton species could therefore pollution by anthropogenic activities. The human interventions, contain errors due to the presence of other species and or particularly increasing population, industrialization and tourism in detritus particles in the analyses samples. In the study, the the coastal areas are the major threats to the coastal marine elemental composition of phytoplankton is determines for environment. Such activities ultimately bring eutrophication in the individual species by X-ray micro analysis (XRMA), Thus marine environment and consequently into discrepancy of marine avoiding the above problems, XRMA has sufficient resolution ecosystem. Phytoplankton dynamics is effectively controlled by to analyze single phytoplankton cells with a mixed population few physical factors along with hydrographic properties and thus [9] and involves the simultaneous determination of a range of exhibit the seasonality pattern. elemental concentration for each cell-thus providing a comprehensive assessment of nutrient status. [27] This research represent first attempt to examine an microalgae with SEM-EDS. 2 MATERIALS AND METHODS ______________________________ • M. Punithavalli, Ph.D. Research Scholar, Department of Botany, Phytoplankton analysis Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar - 608 002, India. E-mail: The water samples were collected from Ariyankuppam [email protected] [latitude 1188’05.08‖N, longitude 7982’59.87‖E] coastal waters • K. Sivakumar, Division of Algal Biotechnology, Department of at monthly intervals for a period of six months from April to Botany, Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar - 608 002, India. E-mail: kshivam69@gmail. September 2018 for the estimation of temperature, pH, salinity, dissolved oxygen and nitrate. Phytoplankton samples 6560 IJSTR©2020 www.ijstr.org INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SCIENTIFIC & TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH VOLUME 9, ISSUE 03, MARCH 2020 ISSN 2277-8616 were collected by plankton net (mesh size 20 μm) made up of The physico chemical factors and biological factors showed bolting silk cloth. The samples were collected in black variation between monthly during the six months study period. polythene bottles and immediately preserved with 4% formalin The physico-chemical parameters at Ariyankuppam coastal for quantitative and qualitative analysis. Some of the samples waters during the study period of April to September 2018 are were fixed in 3% glutaroldehyde in 0.1 M phosphate buffer (pH presented in Table.2. Among the physico-chemical 7.0) for scanning electron microscopic studies. Samples were parameters variations is temperature is one of the most then dehydrated through a graded series of alcohol 12-15 min important factors that have an influence on the distribution in interval at 4˚C. Then the dehydrated phytoplankton samples the marine ecosystems. In the present study the highest treated with critical point drier (CPD) were kept on a stub and the atmospheric temperature recorded during summer season samples were coated with gold palatium and examined in Joel 34.23˚C in the month of May and the lowest temperature JSM-56010 LV with SEM photomicrographs were taken 32.16˚C in the month of September Premonsoon season. selectively from the computer screen. Phytoplankton were Water temperature recorded during summer season 33˚C in identified using the previous works of [37, 36, 10, 32, 25, 2]. the month of May and lowest temperature 31.13˚C during Simultaneously selected portion of micrograph was subjected premonsoon season in the month of September. The to Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Energy observed high value of temperature in May was due to the Dispersive Spectroscopic analysis (EDS). This was conducted intensity of solar radiation and evaporation freshwater influx with an EDS 700 series interfaced with a data general NOVA2 and cooling and mix up with ebb and flow from adjoining computer and a Texas instrument silent 700 ASR. The EDS X- neritic waters [34]. The observed low temperature in the month ray spectrometer was interfaces with a scanning electron of September was due to strong land sea breeze and microscope (20 kv) stage. The area of different components precipitation [30]. Salinity is one of the great significant factors to such as cell wall and cellular inclusion was analyzed. To find marine life in general that regulates the quality of waters and out the fluxes of particular mineral, both the counts per second determines the extent of dissolution of gases and hydrogen ion (S-1 or CPS) value and the apparent relative atomic concentration. In the present study the highest salinity of 33.66 percentage of weight in different components of the cell wall (‰) was recorded in the month of May summer season which and cellular inclusion details were documented. can be attributed to low rainfall, decreased freshwater inflow, elevated atmospheric temperature and evaporation [23]. The lowest salinity of 29.33 (‰) was recorded in the month of September Premonsoon season may be due to heavy rainfall and large quantity of freshwater inflow as reported by [4, 33]. Salinity act as limiting factors in the distribution of living organisms and its variation caused by dilution and evaporation is most likely to influence the fauna in the coastal ecosystems [35]. The hydrogen ion concentration plays on important role in many of the life processes of aquatic organisms. In the present study minimum pH