Life Sciences & Biotechnology
Title : | Understanding the Climatic Influence on the Harmful Algal Blooms Along the South West Coast of India-An Ecophysiological Approach |
Area of research : | Life Sciences & Biotechnology |
Focus area : | Environmental Science, Marine Biology |
Principal Investigator : | Dr. Lathika Cicily Thomas, Cochin University Of Science And Technology, Kochi, Kerala |
Timeline Start Year : | 2024 |
Timeline End Year : | 2026 |
Contact info : | lathikacicily@gmail.com |
Details
Executive Summary : | The south west (SW) coast of India, the coastal marine ecosystem occupying the eastern Arabian sea is considered to be one among the productive regime of Indian ocean due to its monsoonal influence and nutrient enrichment from the adjacent estuaries and mangrove ecosystems. Microalgae occupies a major role in these ecosystems as the major primary producers and prime carbon sequesters. However, the unwanted proliferations of these micro groups can detrimentally effect the marine ecosystems by synergistic effects like hypoxia, toxin productions, mechanical disturbances etc. and is referred to as Harmful algal blooms (HABs). Even though several attempts were made on reporting the blooms from these waters a comprehensive approach on the ecophysiology, bloom dynamics and environmental impacts are meagre. With the recent flood events in the year 2018 and 2019 and climate change alterations might have occurred in these ecosystems at physico-chemical and biological levels and the influences on microalgal bloom dynamics needs to be addressed. In this juncture the proposal attempts to address the ecophysiology of HABs from the SW coast of India and its climatic patterning with the following objectives in brief that includes community analysis of microalgae through morphometric and molecular techniques, addressing the bloom dynamics and ecophysiology, identifying HAB hotspots along the study area, understanding the bloom associated microbial community, toxicity and characterization in the event of toxic algal blooms. The hypothesis that is tested through the study can be stated as “Environmental characteristics vis-à-vis climate change influences the expansion of HABs along the South west coast of India” The status and variabilities in the microalgae which are the major primary producers and immediate responders of the environmental variations are vital in determining the dynamics of secondary and tertiary production of the marine system. The southwest coast of India forms one among the major fishery ground of the peninsular India and hence an understanding on the HABs and its ecological implications are of utmost relevance where the 5% agricultural GDP is from the fishery sector. The study intends to carryout field sampling to collect both planktonic and benthic microalgal samples as well as related physico-chemical characteristics, monitor the bloom events and its toxic outcomes. The proposed study can be utilized in framing the HAB hotspots along the south west coast of India and for developing a valid checklist of both planktonic and benthic harmful algae in the study region. Microbial consortia associated with HAB species and Operational taxonomic units can be delineated. Moreover, role of climate change in the expansion of HAB phenomenon along the south west coast of India can be deduced |
Total Budget (INR): | 30,50,340 |
Organizations involved