Diversity profile of variegated seaweeds along Arabian sea, west coast of India
*1Gulnaz Qureshi and 2J.L. Rathod
Department of Studies in Marine Biology, Karnatak University, Post Graduate Centre, Kodibag, Karwar-581303 (India) *Author for correspondence afreensyed115@gmail.com
ABSTRACT
Karwar coast is rich in macro marine algal distribution showing varied distribution and abundance with respect to temporal parameters of the biotope situated along Arabian Sea, West coast of India. The present investigation reported 40 species of seaweeds from the study stations, of which 14 species belongs to Chlorophyta, 10 species to Phaeophyta and 16 species belonged to Rhodophyta on fortnightly basis from Jan 2018-Jan 2019. The performed statistical analysis showed Station Majali showed richer diversity when compared to Station Muduga with few similar species in common. The species diversity indices were calculated to compare the species abundance among varied seasons. Great magnitude of variation was noticed in the distribution and abundance of seaweeds spatio-temporally, similarities were compared using Clustering technique. The highest percentage similarity of about 0.55% was observed at Muduga than Majali; nearly 0.27%. The present study aims at comparisons of seasonal variations in seaweeds assemblages among two sites, calculating the diversity indices and an update of the checklist of seaweeds of Karwar coast.