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Eutrophication induced changes in benthic community structure of a flow-restricted tropical estuary (Cochin backwaters), India

DRS at CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography

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Title Eutrophication induced changes in benthic community structure of a flow-restricted tropical estuary (Cochin backwaters), India
 
Creator Martin, G.D.
Nisha, P.A.
Balachandran, K.K.
Madhu, N.V.
Nair, M.
Shaiju, P.
Joseph, T.
Srinivas, K.
Gupta, G.V.M.
 
Subject Eutrophication
Macrobenthos
Pollution assessment
benthic community
 
Description The influence of anthropogenic loading on the distribution of soft bottom benthic organisms of a tropical estuary (Cochin backwaters) was examined. The industrial activities were found to be high in the northern and central part of the estuary, where dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN > 210 mu M) and phosphorus (DIP > 6.5 mu M) have caused high abundance of chlorophyll a (up to 73 mg m sup(-3)) and accumulation of organic carbon in sediments (up to 5%). Principal component analysis distinguished three zones in the estuary. The central zone (Z1) was characterized by organic enrichment, low species diversity, and increased number of pollution tolerant species. Long-term deterioration of the estuary is indicated by an increase in the nutrients and chlorophyll a levels by sixfold during the last few decades. Flow restrictions in the lower estuary have lead to a fourfold increase in sediment organic carbon over the period of three decades. The reduced benthic diversity followed by an invasion of opportunistic polychaetes (Capitella capitata), are indicative of a stress in the estuary
 
Date 2011-04-08T10:53:39Z
2011-04-08T10:53:39Z
2011
 
Type Journal Article
 
Identifier Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, vol.176(1-4); 2011; 427-438
no
http://drs.nio.org/drs/handle/2264/3836
 
Language en
 
Relation Environ_Monit_Assess_176_427.jpg
 
Rights An edited version of this paper was published by Springer. This paper is for R & D purpose and Copyright [2010] Springer.
 
Publisher Springer