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Marine algae considered as one of the major living resources of the seas. In present study marine microalgal and chlorophyll ‘a’ concentration were correlated with different environmental parameters along Shrivardhan and Alibag intertidal areas during the post and pre-monsoon season. The study recorded 33 species of microalgae from Shrivardhan in which diatoms comprised 28 species (85%), dinoflagellates 1 species (3%), Cyanophyceae 2 species (6%) and Chlorophyceae 2 species (6%). In Alibag out of 22 species, diatoms comprised 19 species (86%), Cyanophyceae 2 species (9%) and Chlorophyceae 1 species (5%). Along Shrivardhan microalgal distribution and biomass is positively correlated with DO (0.133), pH (0.288), Nitrate (0.057) and Chlorophyll ‘a’ (0.316) and negatively correlated with Salinity (-0.303), water temperature (-0.706) and phosphate (-0.139). Along Alibag microalgal biomass is positively correlated with DO (0.789), Salinity (0.608), pH (0.961), nitrate (0.350), phosphate (0.060) and Chlorophyll ‘a’ (0.549) and negatively correlated with water temperature (-0.792). Different diversity indices for microalgae such as Species richness (d), Pielou’s evenness (J’), Shannon’s index (H’) and Simpson’s diversity index (1-λ) were calculated and it was found that Shrivardhan intertidal area was more diversified than Alibag.
Key words: Intertidal areas, Microalgae, Chlorophyll ‘a’, Diversity Indices.