622-634Present study consists of phytoplankton
community of Gopalpur creek in pre-monsoon, monsoon and post-monsoon season There
was a significant seasonal variation in water temperature (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style:
normal">p pH
varied significantly
(p < 0.05) among the stations.
Chlorophyll a and phytoplankton
density found to vary significantly (p
< 0.01) among seasons rather than the stations. A total of 99 phytoplankton
species were identified. Diatoms formed 77, dinoflagellates 14, green algae
five, blue green algae two and cocolithophore one species. Phytoplankton
species composition was found dissimilar in the three seasons. In pre-monsoon Noctiluca
scintillans, Thalassiothrix longissima,
Odontella sinensis, Thalassionema nitzschioides, Coscinodiscus
gigas, Rhizosolenia alata formed the dominant species. In monsoon, Rhizosolenia
alata, Pleurosigma elongatum, Melosira sulcata, Amphora
coastatum, Rhizosolenia setigera dominated the phytoplankton
population. In post-monsoon Odontella sinensis, Rhizosolenia setigera,
Coscinodiscus gigas, Thalassiothrix longissima, Noctiluca
scintillans, Oscillatoria spp. dominated. Univariate
diversity indices showed maximum diversity during post-monsoon. Pielou’s
evenness (J’) and Simpson’s dominance have shown little variation among the
seasons.
</span