589
Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Mangroves in the west coast, except a few large
patches, are mainly confined to the fringes of rivers and creeks.
The mangroves of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Bhitarkanika on one
side were amongst the most diverse while the Mangroves of Gujarat on the other
side had a low diversity but were thriving in very difficult environmental
conditions.
On the macro-scale, geomorphic setting of the mangrove wetlands of the east
coast of India is different from those of the west coast. Steep slopes, rises, promontories and drowned estuaries characterize the west coast of India, while the east
coast shows a sequence of delta formations (Ahmad 1972). This vast expanse of
deltaic soil and mud-flats favours luxuriant growth and diversity of species.
According to Jagtap et al. (1994), the mangrove flora of India consists of 50 species,
of which 37 species are reported from east coast and 20 from the west coast. Species
such as Pemphisacidula is endemic to islands of Gulf of Mannar of Tamil Nadu,
Scyphyphora hydrophyllacea is endemic to Godavari mangroves of Andhra Pradesh
and Nypa fructicans is present only in Sunderbans.
Along the east coast the tidal amplitude, volume and intensity of fresh water
inflow decreases from north to south affecting the soil characteristics, mainly, salinity, moisture content, chemical composition, texture and nutrient availability.
Correspondingly, the species diversity and extent of mangroves also decreases. This
is clearly evident as Sunderbans of West Bengal harbours around 30 true mangrove
species while Pichavaram and Muthupet of Tamil Nadu records only 13 species
(Naskar and Mandal 1999; Mandal and Naskar 2008).
Sunderban lies in the delta of two major rivers Ganga and Brahmputra of Indian
sub-continent. The Indian boundary of the Sunderban, confines through Hoogly and
Raimangal on the west and the east. The name sunderban is derived either from
local name “Sundri” of the once prevalent mangrove species Heritiera or from
words Sunder ban (beautiful forest). Topographically, Sunderban area exhibits number of anastomosing distributaries. The river Bartala, Muri Ganga, Saptamukhi,
Icchamati, Kali nadi, Bidya and Gosaba carry fresh water from the upper reaches. A
number of the islands are formed at the bay by these rivers. Mangrove is also
described as the flora of formative islands and the flora of riverbank and swamps
forest. The formative island species are mainly tree type of the Avicennia spp.,
Excoecaria agallocha, and Sonneratia apetala. The major species of the dense
mangroves forest includes Avicennia spp., Excoecaria agallocha, Sonneratia
apetala, S. Caseolaris Heritiera fomes, Phonix paludosa, Rizophora apiculate, R.
mucronata and Nypa fruticans almost cover all the tidal zones of Sunderbans
(Naskar and Mandal 1999).
Bhitarkanika national park, a unique habitat of mangrove forests in the east
coast, is located in the Kendrapara district of Odhisa state. Bhitarkanika has very
high mangrove species diversity. Mangrove and mangrove associates found here
are: Avicennia Alba, Excoecaria, Sonneratia, Heritiera, Phonix and Salvadora.
Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary, in the east coast, is located south of Kakinada bay
flanked by the shallow bar-built Bay towards the north and extensive network of
estuarine creeks and canals emanating from river Godavari in the south. Coringa
19 Mangrove Inventory, Monitoring, and Health Assessment
Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Mangroves in the west coast, except a few large
patches, are mainly confined to the fringes of rivers and creeks.
The mangroves of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Bhitarkanika on one
side were amongst the most diverse while the Mangroves of Gujarat on the other
side had a low diversity but were thriving in very difficult environmental
conditions.
On the macro-scale, geomorphic setting of the mangrove wetlands of the east
coast of India is different from those of the west coast. Steep slopes, rises, promontories and drowned estuaries characterize the west coast of India, while the east
coast shows a sequence of delta formations (Ahmad 1972). This vast expanse of
deltaic soil and mud-flats favours luxuriant growth and diversity of species.
According to Jagtap et al. (1994), the mangrove flora of India consists of 50 species,
of which 37 species are reported from east coast and 20 from the west coast. Species
such as Pemphisacidula is endemic to islands of Gulf of Mannar of Tamil Nadu,
Scyphyphora hydrophyllacea is endemic to Godavari mangroves of Andhra Pradesh
and Nypa fructicans is present only in Sunderbans.
Along the east coast the tidal amplitude, volume and intensity of fresh water
inflow decreases from north to south affecting the soil characteristics, mainly, salinity, moisture content, chemical composition, texture and nutrient availability.
Correspondingly, the species diversity and extent of mangroves also decreases. This
is clearly evident as Sunderbans of West Bengal harbours around 30 true mangrove
species while Pichavaram and Muthupet of Tamil Nadu records only 13 species
(Naskar and Mandal 1999; Mandal and Naskar 2008).
Sunderban lies in the delta of two major rivers Ganga and Brahmputra of Indian
sub-continent. The Indian boundary of the Sunderban, confines through Hoogly and
Raimangal on the west and the east. The name sunderban is derived either from
local name “Sundri” of the once prevalent mangrove species Heritiera or from
words Sunder ban (beautiful forest). Topographically, Sunderban area exhibits number of anastomosing distributaries. The river Bartala, Muri Ganga, Saptamukhi,
Icchamati, Kali nadi, Bidya and Gosaba carry fresh water from the upper reaches. A
number of the islands are formed at the bay by these rivers. Mangrove is also
described as the flora of formative islands and the flora of riverbank and swamps
forest. The formative island species are mainly tree type of the Avicennia spp.,
Excoecaria agallocha, and Sonneratia apetala. The major species of the dense
mangroves forest includes Avicennia spp., Excoecaria agallocha, Sonneratia
apetala, S. Caseolaris Heritiera fomes, Phonix paludosa, Rizophora apiculate, R.
mucronata and Nypa fruticans almost cover all the tidal zones of Sunderbans
(Naskar and Mandal 1999).
Bhitarkanika national park, a unique habitat of mangrove forests in the east
coast, is located in the Kendrapara district of Odhisa state. Bhitarkanika has very
high mangrove species diversity. Mangrove and mangrove associates found here
are: Avicennia Alba, Excoecaria, Sonneratia, Heritiera, Phonix and Salvadora.
Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary, in the east coast, is located south of Kakinada bay
flanked by the shallow bar-built Bay towards the north and extensive network of
estuarine creeks and canals emanating from river Godavari in the south. Coringa
19 Mangrove Inventory, Monitoring, and Health Assessment