Assessment of soft bottom polychaete diversity in Thondi, Palk Bay, India.

Polychaete assemblages are relatively poorly known in comparison to other components from Indian waters. In the present study, the spatial and seasonal distributions of polychaetes were investigated in the Thondi coastal area. Polychaete assemblage structure seems to be influenced by environmental parameters, such as temperature, salinity, pH, dissolved oxygen and total organic carbon.

Seasonal variations in physico-chemical characteristics of water, sediment and soil texture in arid zone mangroves of Kachchh-Gujarat.

The present study was carried out to determine the physicochemical characteristics of water and sediment and the textural aspects of sediments in western mangroves of Kachchh-Gujarat, west coast of India, for a period of two years during 1999-2000. Surface water and sediment temperatures varied from 17 degrees C to 37 degrees C and from 18.4 degrees C to 37 degrees C respectively.

Abundance and seasonal variations of phytoplankton in the creek waters of western mangrove of Kachchh-Gujarat.

The phytoplankton was assessed quantitatively and qualitatively in regard to their abundance in creek waters at three sites along the western mangrove of Kachchh. In total one hundred and four species of phytoplankton were identified. Among them 82 species diatoms (Bacillariophyceae), 16 species dinoflagellates (Dinophyceae), 3 species blue greens (Cyanophyceae) and 2 species were green algae.