S. Srichandan

An Ephemeral Dinoflagellate Bloom during Summer Season in Nearshore Water of Puri, East Coast of India

The present paper reports on the phenomenon of pinkish-red discoloration of the nearshore water of Puri, Odisha on 12th May 2016. Many local newspapers covered this event, as Puri city is a major tourist and pilgrimage place on the east coast of India. Field observations were carried out in order to provide a scientific basis to the event and to elicit possible causes of this discoloration. Taxonomic analysis of the phytoplankton samples revealed the dominance of red colored dinoflagellate species Gonyaulax polygramma, contributing 90% to total phytoplankton population. The localized concentration of G. polygramma was responsible for the pinkish-red discoloration of nearshore water. The exact factor that lay behind the genesis of this bloom could not be delineated due to the short period of its persistence. But two factors - upwelling and anthropogenic nutrient influx - can be viewed as the main cause for this ephemeral bloom. Non-hypoxic conditions in the coastal water following the ephemeral bloom event indicated no significant risk of ecological deterioration to the ambient medium.

Zooplankton Research in Indian Seas: A Review

To promote long-term studies on the distribution and diversity of marine zooplankton in Indian seas, a comprehensive review has been carried out based on the available literature. Zooplankton studies in Indian waters started in the early 1900s, and a plethora of literature has accumulated dealing with various aspects of zooplankton, especially from the Bay of Bengal, Arabian Sea and their associated estuaries and backwaters. From this review, a comprehensive description is offered on the species composition and distribution of zooplankton in the Indian Seas. Emphasis is given to reflect the existing knowledge on the variations in zooplankton species composition in the Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea. Copepods emerge as the most dominant component in all of these marine waters, as is the case worldwide. Copepods are more diverse in the Bay of Bengal than in Arabian Sea.