Spatio-temporal Distribution and Biochemical Composition of Phytoplankton along the Coastal Waters of Dakshin Kannada District, Karnataka, India

The phytoplankton distribution and biochemical composition concerning water quality parameters were studied in the coastal waters off Mangalore, Monthly sampling was carried out from October 2020 to May 2022 at selected stations of Netravathi-Gurupura estuary, latitude 12°50'38.56" N, longitude 74°50'0.23° Padubidri 13° 8'0. 57" N 74°42'9.47° with an average depth 8 meters. Spatiotemporally phytoplankton, chlorophyll-a showed a significant difference for entire duration. During present investigation, 35 different genera belonging 3 groups observed complete domination diatoms 27 followed by Dinoflagellates 7 blue-green algae. abundance mainly Chaetoceros sp., Ceratium Thallasiocera Biddulphia Coscinodiscus Rhizosolenia Ditylum Triceratium Nitzschia sp. algae under Chrysophyta, Bryophyta, Chlorophyta, Cyanophyta observed, while carbon contributed highest percentage hydrogen constitute lowest percentage. Crude protein Lipid contents are maximum during post-monsoon carbohydrates their content pre-monsoon phytoplankton. There is direct relationship between physiochemical environmental conditions including nutrients, especially nitrates phosphates.