Ecology of mudbanks - Phytoplankton productivity in Alleppey mudbank

Abstract

The standing crop of phytcplankton, in terms of biomass, chloropliyll a and total ceils, recorded high values during the rise as well as maturity of the mudbank. However, the primary production showed high values only before, and not during or after, the formation of the mudbank Qualitatively, a total of 58 species of phytoplankters were present. A no'abie feature seen in association with the mud bank was the blooming of Noctiluca miliaris, at the time of dissipation of the mudbank during both the seasons'of 1971 and 1972. The possible relation ship of phytoplankton to and the role it plays at the mudbank is briefly discussed.