Characterization of Porteresia coarctata beds along the Goa coast, India
In: Aquatic Botany. Elsevier Science: Tokyo; Oxford; New York; London; Amsterdam. ISSN 0304-3770; e-ISSN 1879-1522, more
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Keywords |
Ecology Flora > Aquatic organisms > Aquatic plants Population characteristics > Biomass Population functions > Growth Taxa > Species Water bodies > Inland waters > Wetlands Porteresia coarctata ISW, India, Goa, Mandovi Estuary [Marine Regions] Marine/Coastal |
Author keywords |
wetland; marine macrophyte; pioneer species; ecology; growth; biomass |
Authors | | Top |
- Jagtap, T.G.
- Bhosale, S.
- Charulata, S.
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Abstract |
Porteresia coarctata, forms an important constituent in the plant succession leading to formation of mangrove communities along the estuaries in India. Major beds along the Mandovi estuary of Goa were monitored for their various ecological and environmental parameters. Nitrate and nitrite values in the over lying waters of beds varied from 0.12 to 1 μg at NO2–N L−1 and 1.2 to 6.7 μg at NO3–N L−1, while salinity values were in the range of 0–36‰, and gradually increased from August to September reaching its maximum during the month of April–May. The biomass values ranged from 39.3 ± 5.6 to 145.2 ± 32.2 g dry weight m−2. Biomass and growth were negatively correlated (r = 0.53–0.80) with salinity while the same were positively correlated with nitrite (r = 0.73–0.87) and nitrate (r = 0.63–0.80) from the surface water. The growth of P. coarctata mainly continued by tiller formation. The density of seed producing shoots varied from 1 to 3 m−2. The major vegetative characters of Porteresia indicated significant spatial and temporal variations. Sediments from the beds were rich in organic carbon (1.5–7.9%) and organic nitrogen (0.1–2.3%). |
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