Studies On The Phytoplankton Diversity Of Selected Ponds In Palukal Panchayat, Kanniyakumari District

Abstract

Ponds are fresh water ecosystems that are highly diverse. Phytoplankton are the photoautotrophic pioneer of aquatic systems. The present study was conducted to analyse the diversity of ponds at Palukal Panchayat. The study was conducted from the period of July 2022 to December 2022. The study revealed the presence of 80 phytoplankton comprising 12 species of blue-green algae, 50 species of green algae, 14 species of diatoms and 4 species of euglenophytes. The study reported the presence of pollution indicator organisms such as Microcystis, Chlorella, Oscillatoria, Spirogyra, and Navicula. Hence monitoring should be done regularly to protect the environment.