ABSTRACT
All the major groups of phytoplankton such as Bacillariophyceae, Chlorophyceae, Cyanophyceae, Dinophyceae, Euglenophyceae, and Xanthophyceae inhabit lotic and lentic water bodies in the Western Ghats. The western part of India from Tapti river of Gujarat is under the influence of west flowing drainage system, and the abundance of phytoplankton in Tapti river is in the decreasing order as Diatoms > Cyanophyceae > Chlorophyceae > Desmids. The phytoplankton composition in the west flowing rivers of Karnataka such as Sharavathi, Sita, and Nethravathi is documented. Phytoplankton diversity from Irrity river, tributary of river Valapattanan; river Tirur, tributary of river Bharathapuzha; rivers Meenachil and Chalakudy is available. Phytoplankton diversity in the Parambikulam–Aliyar irrigational canals in Tamil Nadu is also available. A total of 35 species of phytoplankton belonging to 14 genera of Bacillariophyceae, 15 genera of Chlorophyceae, and six genera of Myxophyceae from river Godavari near Nashik in the Western Ghats region of Maharashtra were reported. Phytoplankton diversity from river Mula, represented by Chlorophyceae, was the dominant and most diversified group and is represented by the orders Volvocales, Tetrasporales, Oedogonials, Ulothrichales, Desmidiales, Chaetophorales, Cladophorales, Chlorococcales, and Zygnematales. A total of 88 species (25 families) and 97 species (29 families) of phytoplankton from rivers Tunga and Bhadra, respectively, have been reported in the Western Ghats of Karnataka. A total of 53 species of phytoplankton belonging to Bacillariophyceae, Chlorophyceae, Cyanophyceae, Desmidaceae, Euglenophyceae, and Ulvophyceae have been reported at Cauvery Nisargadhama, Abbey Falls, Bhagamandala, and Talakaveri regions of river Cauvery in Coorg district, Karnataka. The microalgal species assemblages in the catchment region of river Noyyal, tributary of river Cauvery, in the Western Ghats region of Tamil Nadu revealed a total of 142 species belonging to 10 different families. Chlorophyceae was predominant in Hemavathy reservoir. Next to 320Chlorophyceae, Dinophyceae (Ceratium sp.) occurred in significant density in Nugu and Harangi reservoirs. Myxophyceae, which is generally abundant in tropical reservoirs, was not very significant in reservoirs of Karnataka. The plankton community of Bhatghar reservoir in Maharashtra; Linganamakki, Anjanapura, Hemavathy, Bhadra, Nugu, Harangi, and Kabini reservoirs in Karnataka; Pazhassi, Mullaperiyar, Peringalkuthu, Parambikulam, and Idukki reservoirs in Kerala; Upper Aliyar reservoir in Tamil Nadu is presented. Further, phytoplankton diversity in Panvel, Venna, and Dhamapur lakes of Maharashtra; Syngenta, Lotus, Curtorim, and Khandola lakes of Goa; Vattakkayal, Mullaperiya, and Periyar Lakes in Kerala regions of the Western Ghats is documented. Phytoplankton found in various ponds including temple ponds, and also in freshwater wetlands including Kola lands of Kerala are presented.
