International E-publication: Publish Projects, Dissertation, Theses, Books, Souvenir, Conference Proceeding with ISBN.  International E-Bulletin: Information/News regarding: Academics and Research

Surveillance on Water Quality in Pursuit of Mangrove Afforestation along the Coastal and Inland Aquatic Environments of Malappuram District, Kerala, India

    , ,

Author Affiliations

  • 1Division of Environmental science, Department of Botany, University of Calicut, Malappuram District, Kerala, 673635, India

Int. Res. J. Environment Sci., Volume 5, Issue (6), Pages 41-50, June,22 (2016)

Abstract

Mangroves are considered to be the most productive ecosystems in the world. Their contribution in enhancing biodiversity and stabilizing coastal environments is widely accepted. Reintroduction of mangrove vegetation need be prioritized in the context of predicted consequences of global warming, sea level rise, coastal erosion and other natural as well as manmade disturbances. The primary objective of this study is to demarcate environments that uphold adequate water quality ideal for mangrove afforestation along the coastal and inland water bodies of Malappuram district, Kerala. Collection of water samples were carried out from38 locations representing diverse habitats during pre-monsoon, monsoon and post-monsoon seasons. Physico-chemical characterizations of collected samples were carried out following standard methods. On the basis of salinity and related attributes, high salt tolerant species like Avicennia marina, Avicennia officinalis, Rhizhophora mucronataand Aegiceras corniculatum were found to beideal for afforestation in 10 sites. Low salt tolerant species like Sonneratia casiolaris and Exocaria agallocha were noted to be ideal for planting in 8 sites. Species like Sonneratiaalba which showed a tolerance limit over a wider range has beenfound ideal for afforestation in 14 selected sites. However medium salt tolerant species like Rhizhophora apiculata, Bruguiera gymnorrhiza and Bruguiera cylindrica were found to be unfit for afforestation in any of the sites studied. On an overall assessment of the tolerance limit of mangrove species to salinity, 11 inland and estuarine aquatic environments of Malappuram District are ideal for afforestation during all seasons of the year.

References

  1. Kathiresan K. and Bingham B.L. (2001)., Biology of mangroves and mangrove ecosystems., Advances in marine biology, 40, 81-251.
  2. Saravanakumar A., Rajkumar M., Serebiah J.S. and Thivakaran G.A. (2008)., Seasonal variations in physico-chemical characteristics of water, sediment and soil texture in arid zone mangroves of Kachchh-Gujarat., J. Environ. Biol, 29(5), 725-732.
  3. Wilkie M.L. and Fortune S. (2003)., Status and trends of mangrove area extent worldwide., Forest Resources Assessment Working Paper No. 63., Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome.
  4. Naskar K.R. and Mandal R.N. (1999)., Ecology and Biodiversity of Indian Mangroves., Daya Publishing House, Delhi, India.
  5. Basha S.C. (1991)., Distribution of mangroves in Kerala., Indian Forester, 117(6), 439-448.
  6. Saenger P., Hegerl E.J. and Davie J.D.S.(1983)., Global status of mangrove ecosystems., Commission on Ecology Papers No. 3. Global status of mangrove, Gland, Switzerland, IUCN, 88.
  7. American Public Health Association. APHA. (2005)., Standard methods for the examination of water and wastewater., 21th ed. Washington, DC.
  8. Grasshoff K., Kremling K.M. and Ehrhardt M. (2007)., Methods of Seawater Analysis., Third Edition, Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH, Weinheim, Germany.
  9. McKee K.L., Feller I.C., Popp M. and Wanek W. (2002)., Mangrove isotopic (δ15N and δ13C) fractionation across a nitrogen vs. phosphorus limitation gradient., Ecology 83, 1065–1075.
  10. Lovelock C.E., Feller I.C., Mckee K.L., Engelbrecht, B.M.J. and Ball, M.C. (2004)., The effect of nutrient enrichment on growth, photosynthesis and hydraulic conductance of dwarf mangroves in Panamá., Funct Ecol., 18, 25–33.
  11. Naidoo G. (2006)., Factors contributing to dwarfing in the mangrove Avicennia marina., Ann Bot-London, 97, 1095–1101.
  12. Clough B.F. (1984)., Growth and salt balance of the mangroves Avicennia marina (Forsk.) Vierh. And RhizophorastylosaGriff. in relation to salinity., Functional Plant Biology, 11(5), 419-430.
  13. Chan H.T. and Baba S. (2009)., Manual on Guidelines for rehabilitation of coastal forests., damaged by natural hazards in the Asia Pacific region, International Society for Mangrove Ecosystems (ISME) and International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO), 66.
  14. Toriman M.E., Arfan A. and Yusop Z. (2013)., Assessment of mangrove water quality by multivariate statistical analysis in Suppa coast, South Sulawasi, Indonesia., World Applied Sciences Journal, 28(9),1301-1310.
  15. Kathiresan K. and Thangam T.S. (1990)., A note on the effect of salinity and pH on growth of Rhizophora seedlings., Ind. For., 116, 243-244.