A Checklist of Planktonic Algae off Lagos Coast - Jsrd.org
A Checklist of Planktonic Algae off Lagos Coast - Jsrd.org
A Checklist of Planktonic Algae off Lagos Coast - Jsrd.org
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80 D. I. Nwankwo. andl.C. Onyema<br />
DISCUSSION<br />
From the study there were comparatively fewer numbers <strong>of</strong> species for this study viz a viz other<br />
seasonal microalgal investigations in the coastal waters <strong>of</strong> Nigeria (Nwankwo, 1988b; Nwankwo et al.,<br />
2003, Onyema et al., 2003). Comparatively, higher abundance and diversity <strong>of</strong> planktonic algal species<br />
was recorded for the dry season (November ‐ April) than in the wet season (May ‐October). For<br />
instance species <strong>of</strong>Coscinodiscus, Chaetocerus, Biddulphia, Ditylum and Ceratium occurred more<br />
frequently in the dry season. A good number <strong>of</strong> the species encountered for this study have been<br />
recorded in marine situations elsewhere (Subramanyan, 1946, Newell and Newell, 1966; Wimmpenny,<br />
1966).<br />
Furthermore, the occurrence <strong>of</strong> din<strong>of</strong>lagellates species such as Ceratium furca, Ceratium fusus,<br />
Ceratium tripos and diatoms such as Chaetoceros convolutus, Cerataulina bergonii and<br />
Coscinodiscus centralis among other diatoms have also been reported to impose anoxia, clogging and<br />
damage <strong>of</strong> fish gills under bloom conditions in the same region (Nwankwo et al., 2003 a,b).<br />
The occurrence <strong>of</strong> the cyanobacteria Trichodesmium thiebautii was observed only in warm,<br />
stratified, relatively nutrient poor waters in the dry season. Nwankwo et al., (2003b) have reported that<br />
Trichodesmium thiebautii blooms in the coastal waters <strong>of</strong> south‐western Nigeria and clogging <strong>of</strong> fishing<br />
nets in bloom conditions have also been reported in the same region for this cyanobacterium<br />
Species <strong>of</strong> Oscillatoria and Phormidium encountered during the study are likely immigrant forms from<br />
land brought in with floodwaters during the rains.<br />
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