| Abstract: | An investigation of the water chemistry and phytoplankton bloom formation characteristics of a seasonal earthen pond located in the Alappuzha District, Kerala (India) was carried out during November 2011 to May 2012. Twelve important physico‐chemical parameters (temperature, Secchi disc transparency, pH, electrical conductivity EC), dissolved oxygen (DO), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), ammonia‐nitrogen, nitrite‐nitrogen, nitrate‐nitrogen, total phosphorus (TP), dissolved iron and chlorophyll a related to phytoplankton growth in the pond were the focus of the present study. Chlorophyll a was used as a measure of phytoplankton biomass. The pond developed subsurface phytoplankton blooms of Chlorella vulgaris, Aphanothece sp., Leptosira sp., Lepocinclis globulus and Lepocinclis fusiformis. Visible scums of Lepocinclis globulus and Euglena proxima was also observed during March 2012. Principal component analysis was performed to understand the biochemical processes in the pond ecosystem leading to the Euglena spp. bloom. |
