Marine ecological habitat: a case study on projected thermal power plant around Dharamtar Creek, India.

Estuaries and tidal creeks, harboring mangroves particularly, face tremendous anthropogenic pressures. Expansion of mega cities and the thermal power plants are generally proposed in the vicinity of estuaries and creek, due to the feasibility of intake and discharge of water for cooling. Discharges from such developments remain constant threat of increasing thermal pollution and affecting the quality of environment.

Assessment of oxidative stress indices in a marine macro brown alga Padina tetrastromatica (Hauck) from comparable polluted coastal regions of the Arabian Sea, west coast of India.

Oxidative stress and antioxidant defence systems were assessed in a marine brown alga Padina tetrastromatica, commonly occurring from the tropics. Lipid peroxidation (LPX) and H2O2 were measured as oxidative stress markers, and antioxidant defences were measured as catalase (CAT), glutathione S-transferase (GST) and ascorbic acid (AsA), in order to understand their dissimilarity with respect to pollution levels from selective locations along the central west coast of India. A significant increased levels of LPX, H2O2, CAT and GST were observed in samples from relatively polluted localities (Colaba and Karwar) when compared to less polluted locality (Anjuna), while AsA concentration was higher in algal samples from worst polluted region of Colaba.

Biological and environmental characteristics of mangrove habitats from Manori creek, West Coast, India.

Mumbai, a megacity of India, and its adjacent marine environment, though heavily stressed from various anthropogenic interferences, harbor approximatley 146 km(2) of mangrove cover. Manori creek, in the close vicinity of Mumbai, sustains relatively better mangrove formations. A creek habitat had been evaluated for its biological and environmental characteristics, and is compared with similar but relatively lesser stressed Mandovi estuary (approximately 475 km south of Mumbai).

Response and adaptability of mangrove habitats from the Indian subcontinent to changing climate.

Mangroves, a predominant coastal habitat in the tropics, are constantly threatened by various anthropogenic pressures that are deteriorating the mangroves to a great extent. Global emissions of greenhouse gases are likely to raise the world temperature and the sea level at the rate of 0.3 degrees C and 6 mm 10 y(-1) by the year 2100.