Studies on the Distribution of Seaweed Resources in Kanniyakumari Coast, Tamil Nadu, India

Abstract

The present study is focused on the distribution of seaweeds from two stations of Kanyakumari coast.Present study focuses seaweed diversity and temporal variation in their abundance alongKanyakumaricoastal waters were investigated. Sampling was conducted for a period of one year from January2019 to December 2020. Total 106 seaweed species belonging to 20 orders, 27 family and 48 genera were recorded. Rhodophyta represented as dominant seaweed phylum with 53 species belonging to 11 order, 13 family and 28 genera followed by Chlorophyt (32 species belonging to 4 order, 9 family and11 genera) and Phaeophyta (21 species belonging to 5 order, 5 family and 9 genera). Caulerpa and Chaetomorpha were dominant genera along the Kanyakumari coast followed by Gracilaria, Sargassumand Padina. Presentreport can aprovide basic information for commercial exploitation and conservation of seaweed resources along coastal