Study of the Phytoplankton Diversity of Five Study Stations in Amravati Region and Impact of Seasonal Variation

Abstract

Water constitutes one of the most essential resources on Earth, essential for the life. Its role in promoting human health and well-being is substantial. Plankton are microscopic organisms that either float freely on the water surface or are transported by water currents. The present study was conducted to assess the biological constituents of some water bodies in Amravati region, Maharashtra with particular focus on phytoplankton communities.For study five study stations were selected including Wadali lake, Chatri lake, Ghatkhed lake, Rajura lake and Bhor lake. The study revealed the population diversity of phytoplanktons at the respective study stations and impact of seasonal variation. Phytoplankton community analysis revealed dominance of Chlorophyceae, followed by Cyanophyceae and Bacillariophyceae.

Introduction

Aquatic ecological studies evaluate the health and functioning of water ecosystems by examining physical, chemical, and biological factors. Rivers, lakes, wetlands, and oceans are important for maintaining biodiversity, nutrient cycling, and environmental balance. Among aquatic organisms, plankton play a vital role as the foundation of aquatic food chains. Phytoplankton, which are microscopic photosynthetic organisms, produce organic matter and oxygen through photosynthesis and support the overall productivity of aquatic ecosystems.

This study focuses on assessing phytoplankton diversity in five water bodies of the Amravati region, Maharashtra, during 2023–2024. The selected sites were Wadali Lake, Chatri Lake, Ghatkhed Lake, Rajura Lake, and Bhor Lake. Phytoplankton samples were collected using plankton nets, preserved with 4% formalin, and analyzed in the laboratory. Statistical methods such as standard deviation, variance, and one-way ANOVA were used to study diversity patterns and seasonal variations.

The study identified three major phytoplankton groups:

• Chlorophyceae (green algae) including Ankistrodesmus, Chlorella, Spirogyra, Scenedesmus, and others.
• Bacillariophyceae (diatoms) including Amphora, Cyclotella, Navicula, Nitzschia, and Synedra.
• Cyanophyceae (blue-green algae) including Anabaena, Microcystis, Nostoc, Oscillatoria, and Synechocystis.

Among these groups, Chlorophyceae showed the highest diversity and variability, followed by Bacillariophyceae and Cyanophyceae. Seasonal analysis revealed that phytoplankton diversity was highest during summer, moderate in winter, and lowest during the monsoon season. Statistical analysis showed higher variation in Chlorophyceae due to seasonal changes, while Cyanophyceae and Bacillariophyceae showed moderate fluctuations.

The one-way ANOVA results showed no statistically significant difference among phytoplankton groups (F?,? = 1.48, p > 0.05), indicating that environmental factors mainly influence phytoplankton distribution rather than major seasonal differences.

Conclusion

The present study gives a brief overview of the plankton diversity of the five selected water bodies of Amravati region.

References

[1] Ramya, M., Sanniyasi Elumalai, ArthanariUmamaheswari, (2022). Study of physicochemical and statistical analysis of water quality parameters in Veeranam Lake, Cuddalore district, Tamil Nadu, India. Materials Today: Proceedings, Volume 49, Part 7, Pages 2934-2942. [2] Sharma, P. (2026). Evaluation of the physico-chemical properties of water in Rasin Dam, Banda district, Uttar Pradesh, India. International Journal of Advanced Academic Studies. 8. 121-124. [3] Li, Y., Fang, H. A study on the characterization methods of ecological water requirements in rivers in the Southern plain Region, China. Sci Rep 16, 8333 (2026). [4] Paul, J. S., Esmil Beliya, Shubhra Tiwari, Nisha Gupta, Dristi Verma and Shailesh Kumar Jadhav (2019) Comparative Studies of Physico-chemical Properties of Water from Various Ponds in Raipur. NewBioWorld A Journal of Alumni Association of Biotechnology, 1(2): 23-27. [5] Jakhar, P. (2013). Role of Phytoplankton and Zooplankton as Health Indicators of Aquatic Ecosystem: A Review. International Journal of Innovative Research and Studies. 2. 489-500. [6] Batten Sonia D. , Abu-AlhaijaRana , Chiba Sanae , Edwards Martin , Graham George ,JyothibabuR. , Kitchener John A. ,KoubbiPhilippe , McQuatters-Gollop Abigail , Muxagata Erik ,OstleClare , Richardson Anthony J. , Robinson Karen V. , Takahashi Kunio T. ,Verheye Hans M. , Wilson Willie (2019). A Global Plankton Diversity Monitoring Program. Frontiers in Marine Science. 6. DOI=10.3389/fmars.2019.00321 [7] Roy S., and Chattopadhyay J. (2007). Towards a resolution of “the paradox of the plankton”: a brief overview of the proposed mechanisms. Ecological complexity. 4: 26-33.

Copyright

Copyright © 2026 Sujata S. Raut, Abhimanyu Sharma. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.