S.C.TRIPATHY, KUSUMA KUMAR, V.V. SARMA AND T.V.RAMANA MURTY
Abstract
The present work describes the nutrient indices of the Visakhapatnam harbour and near-shore waters. The inner channels of Visakhapatnam harbour are considered to be eutrophic while near-shore waters (coastal and inshore waters) associated with fishing harbour and entrance channels of Visakhapatnam harbour are considered to be mesotrophic. The decrease in nutrient indices and increase in species diversity index of phytoplankton from inner channels to inshore stations reveal the improvement of water quality on spatial basis towards the near-shore environment from the polluted harbour zone. Multiple regression equations have been utilized to evaluate the plankton abundance and the influencing parameters controlling plankton distribution in the different environmental systems.