Seasonal distribution and population dynamics of limnic microalgae and their association with physico-chemical parameters of river Noyyal through multivariate statistical analysis

Abstract

Abstract The present investigation embarks on understanding the relationship between microalgal species assemblages and their associated physico-chemical parameter dynamics of the catchment region of river Noyyal. Totally, 142 microalgae cultures belonging to 10 different families were isolated from five different sites during four seasons and relative percentage distribution showed that Scenedesmaceae (36.6%) and site S1 (26.4%) with predominant microalgae population. Diversity indices revealed that microalgae communities were characterized by high Hʹ index, lower Simpson dominance, and Margalef index value with indefinite patterns of annual variations. Results showed that variation in the physico-chemical parameters in each sampling site has its impact on the microalgae population during each season. Multivariate statistical analysis viz., Karl Pearson’s correlation coefficient, principal component analysis, and canonical correspondence analysis were applied on microalgae species data, to evaluate the seasonal relationship between microalgae and physico-chemical parameters. The findings of our study concluded that the physico- chemical parameters influenced the dominant taxa of microalgae Chlorellaceae, Scenedesmaceae and Chlorococcaceae in river Noyyal and gives a base data for the seasonal and dynamic relationship between environmental parameters and microalgae population.