Bacterial Load in Relation to Physicochemical Parameters and Phytoplankton Abundance of an Urban Pond

Abundance of bacteria and phytoplankton was studied in different months of an urban pond of Dhaka   Metropolis from May 2009 to February 2010. Interrelationships among bacteria, phytoplankton densities and   the physiochemical properties were also determined. The abundance of bacteria ranged from 5.9×10 3 to 1.5×10 7 cfu/100 ml and showed high densities between May and July, while the density of phytoplankton varied   from 6.7×10 4 to 7.5×10 6 cells/l. Bacterial abundance showed a significant positive correlation with air and   water temperature, while phytoplankton showed a significant negative correlation with both of them. Furthermore, bacteria showed a significant positive correlation with conductivity, TDS and alkalinity. Among the physicochemical variables water temperature was significantly correlated with air temperature, pH and alkalinity. Conductivity correlated significantly with TDS and alkalinity. With few exceptions there   was inverse relationship between phytoplankton and bacterial abundance in the pond DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjb.v41i1.11077 Bangladesh J. Bot. 41 (1): 15-20, 2012 (June)