Seasonal Dynamics of Trichodesmium and Phytoplankton Communities in the Eastern Arabian Sea: Winter Vs Spring-inter monsoon

Abstract

The filamentous marine cyanobacterium Trichodesmium forms extensive blooms in tropical seas, where it plays an important role in nitrogen fixation. This study investigated Trichodesmium-associated phytoplankton in the Eastern Arabian Sea (EAS) during bloom and nonbloom conditions. Trichodesmium blooms over the continental shelf primarily comprised of T. erythraeum and T. thiebautii during the Spring Inter Monsoon (SIM) and T. erythraeum during the Winter Monsoon (WM). T. erythreaum blooms have rarely been reported from the north-east Arabian Sea during WM. Trichomes comprised of 143-1552 cells during the WM, with filaments ranging from 1339 to 13163 µm in length. Non-diazotrophic groups like diatoms and dinoflagellates were associated with Trichodesmium during both seasons within the bloom waters. The study found a novel symbiotic relationship between the heterocystous diazotroph Richelia intracellularis and Nitzschia sicula during WM blooms. This research expands knowledge of lesser-known phytoplankton species and their associations in the EAS.