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Spatial and temporal dynamics of phytoplankton in association with habitat parameters in a tropical reservoir, India

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Abstract

Phytoplankton, the primary producers in an aquatic ecosystem, also act as indicators of pollution by alterations in species composition and population structure. Study on plankton dynamics in relation to environment forms the base of any aquatic ecosystem management. So, a study on the variations in the plankton population influenced by abiotic factors was conducted in the Paleru Reservoir, India. A total of 48 plankton genera belonging to 9 classes were recorded. The Shannon-Wiener diversity index ranged from 1.098 to 2.615 with temporal variations. Plankton density showed significant (p ≤ 0.05) spatial variations with the highest density at the cage site irrespective of the season (4.126 × 105 ± 199 cells/litre, 2.814 × 105 ± 72.5 cells/litre and 3.197 × 105 ± 52.5 cells/litre during pre-monsoon, monsoon and post-monsoon, respectively). Seasonal analysis revealed significantly (p ≤ 0.05) high plankton density during pre-monsoon, followed by post-monsoon and monsoon respectively. The reservoir is moderately polluted as established from the diversity index and the Algal Genus Pollution Index except at the cage site where it receives a polluted status. The relationship of plankton distribution with the environment was established employing canonical correspondence analysis and correlation coefficient. Phosphate-P, nitrate-N, transparency, hardness, pH and dissolved oxygen are the major abiotic factors influencing the plankton distribution in Paleru. Even though Cyanophyceae dominated the plankton population, there was no plankton bloom-associated toxicity, indicating the health and dynamic nature of the reservoir. However, significantly high plankton density indicating a polluted status at the cage site reveals the influence of cage culture.

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Abbreviations

ha:

hectare

N:

north

E:

east

v/v:

volume/volume

no.:

number

%:

percentage

PAST:

PAleontological STatistics

ANOVA:

analysis of variance

SPSS:

Statistical Package for the Social Sciences

°C:

degree Celsius

WT:

water temperature

Sp. Cond:

specific conductivity

μS/cm:

microseimens per centimetre

m:

metre

μg/L:

microgram per litre

mg/L:

milligram per litre

TMC ft:

thousand million cubic feet.

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Acknowledgements

Deepest gratitude is due to the scientists and staff of ICAR-Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute for their support during the study. The help of Ms. Chamundeswari, staff, Fisheries Department, Khammam, for the technical support during the sampling period is gratefully acknowledged.

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Funding

The authors are grateful to the Fisheries Department, Telangana, for the financial support for undertaking this investigation under the project ‘Cage Culture in Reservoirs as a collaborative programme between the Department of Fisheries, Telangana State and ICAR-CIFRI from 2018 – 2020’.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Regional Centre of ICAR- Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute, Bangalore, 560089, India

    Jesna Parakkandi & Ajoy Saha

  2. ICAR-Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute, Barrackpore, Kolkata, 700120, India

    Uttam Kumar Sarkar, Basanta Kumar Das, Mishal Puthiyottil, Sajina Aliyamintakath Muhammadali, Mitesh Ramteke, Canciyal Johnson & Suman Kumari

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  1. Jesna Parakkandi
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All authors were involved in conceptualisation and execution of this research work; methodology: Jesna P. K., Ajoy Saha, Suman Kumari; investigation: Jesna P. K., Ajoy Saha; formal analysis and writing—original Draft: Jesna P. K.; writing—review & editing: Sarkar U. K; supervision, project administration: Das, B. K; data curation, writing—review & editing: Mishal P., Sajina A. M; investigation: Mitesh R., Canciyal J. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Jesna Parakkandi.

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Parakkandi, J., Saha, A., Sarkar, U.K. et al. Spatial and temporal dynamics of phytoplankton in association with habitat parameters in a tropical reservoir, India. Arab J Geosci 14, 827 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-021-07194-0

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