Microphytobenthos of Water Bodies of Some Islands of the Indian Ocean

Abstract

Microphytobenthos of water bodies of some Maldivian Islands (Kelaa and Filladho) and the Madagascar Island of the Indian Ocean was studied in autumn (September and November) 1981. As a result of the performed investigations, 43 species of microscopic algae belonging to 30 genera, 25 families, 21 orders, 5 classes, 3 divisions, 2 kingdoms, and 2 empires (domains) were found. Among them, diatoms (38 species) prevailed over Dinoflagellata (4) and Cyanobacteria (1). The Sorensen - Chekanovsky coefficient of community similarity between the Maldivian and Madagascar floras was 0.56 and the Jaccard coefficient of community similarity was 0.36. Microphytobenthos of the investigated water bodies was of marine type. It was represented by alkaliphilous species and cosmopolitan (27 species) and tropical (10) groups with boreal-tropical (4) and boreal-tropical-notal (2) elements.