Deciphering benthic ecosystem functioning and resilience in a major port and marine protected area via the multi-trait approach.

The preservation of ecosystem functioning of coastal zones, in face of increasing environmental stressors and species extinctions, relies on the functional redundancy and inherent resilience of its inhabitants. To compare the benthic functioning and resilience of a disturbed area with a relatively less impacted area, a study was conducted in Mumbai Port and Malvan Marine Protected Area (MPA), which exhibited contrasting characteristics. The hypothesis posited that the anthropogenically influenced Mumbai port would exhibit lower functional parameters and resilience compared to Malvan.

Are genomic indices effective alternatives to morphology based benthic indices in biomonitoring studies? Perspectives from a major harbour and marine protected area.

Ecological assessments are currently being conducted by traditional morpho-taxonomical identification techniques that are time-consuming and often inaccurate. Biomonitoring programs are increasingly being complemented by the more rapid and efficient DNA barcoding approach. We compared the congruency of morpho-taxonomic (AMBI - AZTI's Marine Biotic Index) and genomic (gAMBI) benthic indices in ecological quality status (EcoQS) assignation in Mumbai harbour and Malvan Marine Protected area (MPA).

Benthic community resilience in two differently impacted tropical estuaries: Taxonomic vs functional approaches.

Estuaries experience incessant modifications due to various stressors causing shifts in the benthic species community structure and ecosystem functioning. Two tropical estuaries along Northwest India, exposed to varied intensities of anthropogenic perturbations, were sampled seasonally for two consecutive years. Specific aims were to assess, compare and link the macroinvertebrate taxonomic and functional structures, to evaluate the resilience of estuarine benthic ecosystems by employing the multiple-trait approach and to identify major influencing environmental drivers for patterns discerned.

Ecological quality status assessment of tropical estuaries with benthic indices using differently derived reference conditions.

Setting appropriate reference conditions (RCs) is critical for classifying the Ecological Quality Status (EcoQS) which is extremely challenging, considering the present-day estuaries. The EcoQS of three tropical estuaries was assessed by applying five different RCs to identify the best applicable method for the area. The AZTI's indices (AMBI and M-AMBI) categorised areas with sharper pollution gradient with ease, while classification of moderate-low polluted areas was ambiguous.

Ecological quality status evaluation of a monsoonal tropical estuary using benthic indices: comparison via a seasonal approach.

The use of biotic indices has garnered attention during the last decade due to its extensive application in evaluating ecological quality status (EcoQS) of marine waters and estuaries. Three seasonal surveys were conducted in the Kundalika estuary, India to evaluate the ecostatus using five benthic indices and comparing their effectiveness considering the estuarine salinity gradient and seasonality. All indices gave divergent results displaying a wide range of classes (good to bad) across salinity zones and seasons.

Geochemistry and bioavailability of mudflats and mangrove sediments and their effect on bioaccumulation in selected organisms within a tropical (Zuari) estuary, Goa, India.

Metals are non-degradable in the aquatic environment and play a vital role in estuarine biogeochemistry but could also be detrimental to associated biota. A comparative evaluation of the trace metal concentrations (Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, Ni, and Co) was carried out in the Zuari estuary, Goa during the post-monsoon season of 2013 at six locations, each representing three mangrove and three mudflat regions. In addition, fractionation of trace metals in sediments was performed to provide information on the mobility, distribution, bioavailability and toxicity.