Heterogeneous microbial oceanographic environments: application of GIS technology in deciphering of microenvironment scenarios off the central west coast of India

Abstract

In the vast oceanic microbial environment of 2468.83 km², GIS modeling techniques involving sixty query steps, enabled the deciphering of Microenvironments as low as 1.19 km² to 38.6 km² for the summer of 2004 and in case of summer 2005 where 84 query steps were involved to decipher Microenvironments of 10.55 km² to 25.94 km². Thirtythree sampling stations were established between Betul to Ankola off the central west coast of India accounting for a spatial coverage of 2468.83 km². GIS query-modeling investigation was carried out using spatial layers of depth, optical parameters (k-Irradiance attenuation Coefficient, c-Beam attenuation coefficient), sediment size parameters (Sediment Mean Size and Sediment Sorting) and Benthic Foraminifera Suborders (Rotaliina, Textulariina, Miliolina, Lagenina). Foraminifera have been used as a surrogate parameter. However, any microbial parameter could proxy for foraminifers providing for the numerical deciphering of microenvironments. This is suggestive of the assimilation of GIS technology for a better appreciation of microbial oceanography.