PLANKTON PROFILE IN BALLAST WATER OF SELECTED CARGO SHIPS IN GENERAL SANTOS CITY PORT

Numerous studies have been conducted on ballast water species composition and diversity in other countries but only a few in the Philippines. This study is aimed to determine the presence of phytoplankton and zooplankton composition in ballast water tanks water in the inter-island passenger-cargo vessel and determine the species density of the phytoplankton and zooplankton composition measured in cells/m^3 using the Sedgewick-Rafter cell method. Composite sampling was employed having one liter of ballast water was used per ballast tank. A total of 20 genera of phytoplankton including one genus of freshwater algae and 24 genera of zooplankton were observed. The most common phytoplankton observed in the ballast tanks Rhizosoleniu sp. and the most common zooplankton were Notholca sp. Tintinnopsis sp., and Copepod. The phytoplankton and zooplankton composition was found to be non-invasive in nature showing their ubiquity in the marine environment but some of the phytoplankton has the potentials in forming HABs (Harmful Algal Blooms).