Study on Mangrove Ecology and Impact in Kakinada Bay

Abstract

The southern fringes of the Kakinada Bay are predominantly mud-flats interrupted by creeks/rivers which traverse, at the hayw ard end , through dense forests of mangrove as mentioned by Ramasarma and Ganapathi (1968) in their study on the Bay hydrography. The larger trees are located at a height of 03 m in relation to creek river low water level but in high tide and spring tides major parts are innundated. A part of the system forms a fringe along the eroding creek/river banks with roots in the water but on the bay-ward side the trees are succeeded by vascular plants, the shrubs and grasses on the mudflats due, probably, to show encroachment and reclamation for human habitation and paddyfields. especially in Matlapalem creek (Rajyalakshmi. 1975). However, the creeks are highly saline in non-monsoonal seasons, deep with a directional flow towards the Bay.