Journal
MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
Volume 92, Issue -, Pages 133-143Publisher
ELSEVIER SCI LTD
DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2013.09.010
Keywords
Estuaries; Monsoon; Picophytoplankton; Salinity; Zuari estuary; Synechococcus
Funding
- National Institute of Oceanography
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Temporal and spatial variations in Synechococcus abundance were investigated over an annual cycle (February'10-January' 11) along a salinity gradient (0-35) in the tropical Zuari estuary, influenced by south-west monsoons. Synechococcus exhibited salinity preferences with phycoerythrin-rich cells at salinities >2 (Synechococcus-PEI), >20 (Synechococcus-PEII) and <1 (Synechococcus-PEIII) whereas phycocyanin-rich (Synechococcus-PC) dominant at lower salinities. Downstream stratification during monsoon caused Synechococcus group segregation in the surface and near-bottom waters. During monsoon-break and non-monsoon period stabilized waters, increased salinity, temperature, solar radiation and low rainfall favored high Synechococcus abundance whereas unstable waters, increased turbidity and low solar radiation during active monsoon lowered abundance. SYN-PC positively co-related with nitrate and phosphate and SYN-PEI with phosphate. Synechococcus contribution to phytoplankton carbon biomass ranged from 9 to 29%. In monsoonal estuaries, rainfall intensity regulates freshwater runoff which modulates the estuarine environment, creating temporal-spatial niche segregation of Synechococcus groups thereby serving as indicator organisms of the estuarine hydrodynamics. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available