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Mangrove ecosystem biodiversity: A case study.

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Relation http://eprints.cmfri.org.in/11057/
 
Title Mangrove ecosystem biodiversity: A case study.
 
Creator Edwin, S
 
Subject Dissertations
Mangroves
Marine Ecosystems
 
Description Investigations on the biodiversity in relation to conservative and non-conservative parameters in the Mangalavanam mangrove ecosystem, located in the northern fringes of Cochin City have been carried out from January to June 2002. The mangrove ecosystem is regularly under tidal influence and hence submergence and emergence of land takes place depending on the tidal amplitude. The average dissolved oxygen of the water was found to be 3.5ml/l despite the fact, phytoplankton
was abundant in the ecosystem. It reveals that respiratory demand of the aquatic biota has exceeded the photosynthetic oxygen production. The indirect relationship exhibited by the quantity of phytoplankton and oxygen is attributed to anthropogenic activities, which resulted in to the eutrophication of the mangrove ecosystem. The general nutrient load was at a higher level. The macrophytic vegetation was
dominated by A^icennia marina, Rhizdphora mucronata and Acanthus ilicifolius. The presence of Avicennia and Acanthus in majority of the area that showed decrease in salinity and more freshwater influx. The phytoplankton community was dominated by
djatoms represented Naviculaceae followed by Coscinodisceae, which Is evidenced by the presence of high quantity of silicate. The Zooplankton was dominated by copepods. Benthic community is dominated by the infauna such as polychaetes and
decapods. Juveniles of common brackish water fishes. Chanos spp., Liza spp., Etroplus spp., Silago spp., Lethrinus spp. and Lutjanus spp., and species of crustaceans like Penaeus spp., Metapenaeus spp., Macrobrachium spp., Acetes spp., Metaplex spp., Sesarma spp., Uca spp., and Scylla spp., have been found to be the residents of the mangrove ecosystem. Avian fauna comprises mostly little cormorants (Phalactocorax niger) and black crowned night heron (Nycticorax nycticorax). Other arboreal fauna is dominated by Indian flying fox (Pteropus
giganteus). An evaluation on the biodiversity of the mangrove ecosystem in the light of the present investigations reveals that species diversity Is less, but moderate population density of available species could be observed. To put It In a nutshell, human interventions on the environment has been detrimental and a general degradation of the ecosystem has been evidenced by the emergence of terrestrial vegetation and shrinking of the true mangrove areas.
 
Publisher Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute
 
Date 2002-06
 
Type Thesis
NonPeerReviewed
 
Format text
 
Language en
 
Identifier http://eprints.cmfri.org.in/11057/1/Edwin%20S..pdf
Edwin, S (2002) Mangrove ecosystem biodiversity: A case study. Masters thesis, Central Institute of Fisheries Education.