Seasonal variations in physico-chemical characteristics of Pichavaram mangroves, southeast coast of India

V. Ashok Prabu, M. Rajkumar* and P. Perumal

Centre of Advanced Study in Marine Biology, Annamalai University, Parangipettai - 608 502, India

(Received: July 22, 2006; Revised received: May 13, 2007; Accepted: June 18, 2007)

Abstract: All the physico-chemical parameters such as temperature, salinity, pH, dissolved oxygen and nutrients like nitrate, nitrite, inorganic phosphate and reactive silicate were studied in Pichavaram mangroves, southeast coast of India, for a period of two years (April 2000-March 2002). Air and surface water temperatures varied from 27^oC to 38^oC and from 26^oC to 37^oC. Salinity varied from 3.0‰ to 33.0‰ and the pH ranged between 7.2 and 8.2. Variation in dissolved oxygen content was from 2.4 to 5.0 ml l^-1. Concentrations of nutrients viz. nitrates (9.50 to 32.12 µM), nitrites (1.07 to 5.99 µM), phosphates (0.73 to 2.36 µM) and reactive silicates (22.1 to 89.8 µM) also varied independently.

Kew words: Physico-chemical characteristics, Nutrients, Pichavaram mangroves

PDF of full length paper is available with author (*arunachalashivamdr@yahoo.com)

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