Taxonomic Assessment and Spatial Distribution of Marine Microalgae - Diatoms from East Coast of India
M. Fairoz Basha
*
Department of Biotechnology, Vikrama Simhapuri University, Nellore-524320, AP, India.
T. Daveedu
Department of Biotechnology, Vikrama Simhapuri University, Nellore-524320, AP, India.
K.V.L. Shrikanya Rao *
Department of Biotechnology, Vikrama Simhapuri University, Nellore-524320, AP, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Diatoms are a well-known group of microalgae that live in freshwater and marine habitats, as well as in soil surfaces. While some diatoms live at the water–sediment interface, the majority are found pelagically in open waters. They can contribute up to 45% of the entire oceanic primary production, making them essential to global biogeochemical cycles. Both horizontal and vertical gradients affected by environmental factors control the spatial distribution of marine phytoplankton, including diatoms. Twelve diatom species were regularly identified in the waters at RK Beach during the current study. Skeletonema sp., which was noted as an alternate dominating species in the research region, was the second most abundant of them, behind Climacosphenia elongata. Asterionella japonica, Nitzschia sigma, Pleurosigma directum, Climacosphenia elongata, Chaetoceros compressus, Arachnoidiscus sp., Tabellaria sp.,Hemidiscus sp.,Coscinodiscus centralis, Rhizosolenia curvata, Skeletonema sp., and Ditylum brightwellii were among the taxa that were identified. To evaluate the ecological features and productivity status of the research region, thorough investigations of species diversity and physico-chemical parameters were carried out. The results contribute to a better understanding of primary production and environmental health in marine ecosystems by offering insightful information about the distribution patterns and composition of diatoms in coastal waters.
Keywords: Water physicochemical parameters analysis, marine diatoms, climate change