MARINE ALGAL ABUNDANCE AND DIVERSITY ALONG THE INTERTIDAL REGION OF RAIGAD DISTRICT, MAHARASHTRA, INDIARoshankumar Ram, Veerendra Singh, Alkesh Dwivedi and Geetanjali DeshmukheAbstract Marine algal diversity, biomass, microalgal density and chlorophyll a concentration were correlated with environmental parameters along Shrivardhan and Alibag intertidal areas during the post and pre-monsoon season. Total 22 species of macroalgae from Shrivardhan and 6 species from Alibag were recorded. The percentage contribution of Rhodophyta group was reported maximum along Shrivardhan followed by Phaeophyta and Chlorophyta. In Alibag two species of each Rhodophyta, Phaeophyta and Chlorophyta were reported. The average biomass (wet weight) of macroalgae was reported higher in pre-monsoon season along both the intertidal areas of Shrivardhan and Alibag. In Shrivardhan, macroalgal biomass was found positively correlated with microalgal density (0.766) and pH (0.381) and negatively correlated with phosphate (-0.688), water temperature (-0.486) and DO (-0.314). Along Alibag, the macroalgal biomass is positively correlated with pH (0.701), DO (0.413), Chlorophyll a (0.567) and microalgal density (0.795) and negatively correlated with water temperature (-0.754). Diversity Indices like Species richness (d) and Evenness index (J) were recorded maximum in the post-monsoon season whereas Shannons index (H) and Simpsons diversity index (1-λ) were reported maximum in pre-monsoon season along both the sampling stations. In present study Shrivardhan intertidal area highlights high productivity in compare to Alibag.
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