Ephemeral analysis on microphytobenthos in an estuarine system along the southwest coast of India

The study provides significant insights into the community structure, species diversity and the environmental factors affecting the diversity of MPB in the tropical estuarine habitat of the Cochin estuary. A significant outcome of the present study was the taxonomic identification of 59 species of MPB belonging to 22 genera, which comprised 49 species of diatoms, one species of dinoflagellate, six species of cyanobacteria, two species of euglenophytes and one species of chlorophyte. Major MPB identified in the study were Navicula erifuga, Gyrosigma wansbeckii, Navicula flanatica, Nitzschia sigma, Nitzschia fluminensis, Amphora cymbifera, Nitzschia clausii, Nitzschia lorenziana, Navicula arenaria and Gyrosigma balticum. Principal component analysis indicated that the porewater salinity, sediment temperature, sediment pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), C:N ratio, porewater silicate and sediment chlorophyll a were positively correlated with the diversity of MPB. The intensity of rainfall, OC%, C:S ratio, and TN% were negatively correlated with the diversity of MPB. The study provides a detailed taxonomic inventory of MPB diversity and environmental influences, offering additional insights into tropical estuarine ecology.