International Journal of Marine Science 2015, Vol.5, No.16, 1-12
3
and the maximum values were recorded in both the
stations 1 and 2 during summer season. The surface
water temperature varied between 27.5
o
C to 34
o
C
(Figure 2). Minimum were recorded in both the
stations 1 and 2 during monsoon season. Whereas, the
maximum value was recorded at station 2 during
summer season. Higher surface water temperature
recorded during summer season might be possibly due
to influenced by intensity of solar radiation,
evaporation, freshwater influx and cooling and mix up
with ebb and flow from adjoining neritic waters
(Ajithkumar et al., 2006; Saravanakumar et al., 2008).
The lower value of surface water temperature
recorded during monsoon season might be possibly
due to strong land sea breeze and precipitation (Ashok
Prabu et al., 2008; Rajkumar et al., 2009).
Figure 2 Water quality parameters Temperature, salinity, pH, Dissolved oxygen and nitrite present in the study period
The minimum value of salinity recorded was 27 psu
and the maximum was 34 psu (Figure 2). The
minimum salinity recorded in station 1. The
maximum was recorded in station 2. Salinity was
maximum value recorded during summer season and
the minimum values reported in monsoon season.
The salinity acts as a limiting factor in the
distribution of living organisms, and its variation
caused by dilution and evaporation influences the
fauna most likely in the intertidal zone (Gibson,
1982). In the present study, salinity at all the sites
was high during summer and low during the
monsoon season. Higher values in summer could be
attributed to faster evaporation in the study area.
Thus, the variation of salinity at study sites is
probably due to freshwater runoff and rain (Sridhar
et al., 2006; Asha and Diwakar, 2007).
The dissolved oxygen varied from 4.03 to 6.16 mg/l
-1
(Figure 2). The minimum level of dissolved oxygen
recorded at station 1 during summer and the
maximum was recorded at station 1 during monsoon.
The dissolved oxygen was high during the monsoon
season at all sites, which might be due to the
cumulative effect of higher wind velocity coupled
with heavy rainfall and the resultant freshwater
mixing. Relatively lower values were observed
during summer, which could be mainly due to
reduced agitation and turbulence of the coastal water.
Das et al., 1997 and Saravanakumar et al., 2007 have
attributed seasonal variations in dissolved oxygen
mainly to the freshwater influx and ferriginous
impact of sediments. It is well known that the
temperature and salinity affect the dissolution of
oxygen (Vijayakumar et al., 2000).
