Home⇛WVSU Research Journal⇛vol. 13 no. 2 (2024)

Preliminary Investigation of the Marine Phytoplankton Species in a Semi-Enclosed Estuarine System in Central Philippines

Rex Menard L Cervales | Kenneth John G Ganancial | Eryl B Sencio | Lance Adriel D Villagracia | Florie May C Castro

 

Abstract:

Toxin-producing phytoplankton triggering harmful algal blooms (HABs) have plagued the province of Capiz in central Philippines since the 1980s. Hence, investigating marine phytoplankton species, their distribution, and the conditions fostering their bloom is imperative. This study provides a preliminary investigation of the diversity, abundance, and composition of marine phytoplankton in Tinagong Dagat, a shallow estuarine lagoon located in the central Philippines, and explored how they are influenced by oceanographic parameter variations. Water samples were collected in January and February 2018 from the four sampling stations of Tinagong Dagat, as specified by the Provincial Agriculturist Office - Capiz. Species identification employed conventional enumeration and morphological analysis of phytoplankton characteristics. Phytoplankton species diversity and evenness were determined using the Shannon-Wiener Index and the evenness index formulas, respectively. Repeated Measure Analysis was used to determine if there is a correlation between the species abundance of marine phytoplankton species and the oceanographic parameters. A total of 32 species of phytoplankton were recorded during the study period, with three of the species being harmful, as per the IOC-UNESCO Taxonomic Reference. Abundances of two harmful phytoplankton have a strong positive linear relationship with depth and salinity. There is no statistically significant difference in mean abundance of marine phytoplankton species between months (p=0.122), but there are statistically significant differences between stations (p=0.007). The results of this study provide preliminary data for environmental assessments and ecosystem analyses, which may guide interventions to mitigate effects of HABs. A thorough phytoplankton analysis and seasonal assessments of species abundance, composition, and optimal growth conditions are recommended.



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