Journal of Environment and Sociobiology

Abhijit Mitra ¹, Prosenjit Pramanick ¹, Shankhadeep Chakraborty ¹, Pardis Fazli ², Sufia Zaman ³

Affiliations
1 Dept. of Oceanography, Techno India University, Salt Lake, Kolkata-700091, IN
2 Dept. of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, University Putra, Selangor, MY
3 Dept. of Oceanography, Techno India University, Salt Lake, Kolkata-700091, MY

Abstract

Evaluation of ecosystem services of mangroves and their economic evaluation are yet unrevealed, although several literatures are available on the use of mangroves as nursery and breeding ground of fishes, sources of timber, honey, wax, firewood etc. Considering the importance of mangroves as primary service providers to coastal populations and island dwellers, it is extremely important to assess the condition of mangrove forest and relate the same with the anthropogenic and natural threats existing in and around the habitats. Relative abundance and Shannon-Weiner species diversity index of true mangrove species can be used as indicators of mangrove health. The present paper is an approach to evaluate the health of mangrove floral species considering 10 sampling stations in Indian Sundarbans during 2014. The mangrove patches in the selected stations were categorized into a 4-point scale depending on the values of Shannon-Weiner species diversity index. The health of the mangrove forest as per our constructed 4-point scale was found to be regulated primarily by anthropogenic factors, although in station like Sagar South, the natural erosion may be the key player in determining the mangrove floral diversity.

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Prosenjit Pramanick ¹, Sufia Zaman ¹, Nabonita Pal ², Pavel Biswas ², Abhijit Mitra ¹

Affiliations
1 Dept. of Oceanography, Techno India University, Salt Lake, Kolkata 700 091, IN
2 Dept. of Biotechnology, Techno India University, Salt Lake, Kolkata 700 091, IN

Abstract

Water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) is profoundly found in the water bodies of tropical countries. It is a menace as it chokes the water body, drainage system and kills the fishes because of oxygen depletion. The adverse impact of water hyacinth has been stated in several literatures. Apart from destroying the aesthetic value of the aquatic ecosystem, water hyacinth cluster serves as the breeding ground of several disease causing insects and pests. The species is also invasive in nature and out-compete all other aquatic species growing in its vicinity and thus decreases the biodiversity of the aquatic ecosystem. Considering this disadvantage spectrum of water hyacinth, the present research programme is a turning force to rotate the significance of water hyacinth from its disadvantage to an advantageous sector. It can be used as an agent of bioremediation because of its potential to absorb heavy metals in its body tissue. The present programme is an attempt to monitor Zn, Cu and Pb in the body tissues of water hyacinth collected from East Kolkata Wetland during November, 2014. The analysis was carried out through Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS) after acid digestion. The order of metal accumulation is Zn > Cu > Pb.

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Shankhadeep Chakraborty ¹, Abhijit Mitra ¹

Affiliations
1 Dept of Oceanography, Techno India University, Salt Lake Campus, Kolkata 700 091, IN

Abstract

Pollution by heavy metals in coastal area especially in mangrove ecosystem in Indian Sundarbans, the world heritage site, as a result of industrialization and urbanization is a serious threat for environmental safety. This study was carried out to assess the bioaccumulation pattern of three heavy metals (copper, lead and mercury) in four dominant mangrove species from Indian Sundarbans estuarine system, namely, Avicennia alba, Avicennia marina, Avicennia officinalis and Excoecaria agallocha in the year 2014. For this purpose leaves, ischolar_mains and stem samples were collected from 6 stations (viz., Chemaguri, Jambu island, Gosaba, Bali island, Sajnekhali and Bagmara) located in western, central and eastern estuarine sectors of Indian Sundarbans and analyzed for copper, lead and mercury content. The concentration of heavy metals was found in the order Cu > Pb > Hg in ischolar_main, stem and leaf of the four plant species. Significant variations of heavy metal concentrations were observed between species and between stations (p < 0.01) confirming that different species has different ability of bioremediation. The pattern of bioaccumulation in the four species was seen to follow the order as A. officinalis > A. marina > A. alba > E. agallocha in all the seasons. This result indicates that A. officinalis can be regarded as the most potent bioremediator of ambient water and sediment among the four selected mangrove species.

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Abhijit Mitra ¹, Arunava Mukherjee ², Banani Mandal ²

Affiliations
1 Dept. of Marine Science , University of Calcutta, IN
2 Dept. of Zoology , University of Calcutta, IN

Abstract

Mangrove ecosystem in coastal West Bengal has increased the fish productivity of the state as it acts as the nursery of finfish juveniles and cradle of several species of shellfish. In West Bengal shrimp farming is being practiced in most of the saline pockets of the state as the major livelihood programme. To sustain this aquaculture, tiger prawn seeds are procured from the coastal water, estuaries and mangrove creeks. The ischolar_main of this ecologically adverse practice is basically related to high demand for prawn seeds by the coastal shrimp culture farms and absence of tiger prawn hatchery in the entire state of West Bengal. During the collection of prawn seeds several nontarget species (juveniles of several finfish and shellfish, other than tiger prawn seeds ) are trapped in the net. thrown away and wasted. This may pose an adverse impact on the pelagic and demersal fish reservoir in ecosystem The present communication aims to highlight this aspect at Junput located at East Midnapur district in West Bengal. From this area 37 species of finfish juveniles have been recorded, which are thrown ashore and wasted during the wild tiger prawn seed collections.

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Arunava Mukherjee ¹, Banani Mandal ¹, Abhijit Mitra ², Kakoli Banerjee ³

Affiliations
1 Department of Zoology, University of Calcutta, 35, B. C. Road, Kolkata 700 019, IN
2 Department of Marine Science, University of Calcutta, 35, B.C.Road, Kolkatn 700 019, IN
3 Tiger and Wild Life Programme, WWF-India Secretariat, Tiger and Wildlife Programme, Canning Field Office, 24 Paraganas (South), West Bengal 743 329, IN

Abstract

Culture of Penaeus monodon occupies a dominating sector in Indian brackish water aquaculture and proper feed is the most important criteria in getting beneficial returns from shrimp culture. To evaluate the efficiency of feed, mixed with specially formulated plant feed additives with respect to shrimp growth, survival, production, feed conversion ratio and pond environment, experimental monoculture of Penaeus monodon (with stocking density 5 nos./m²), was carried out in two different islands (Chotomollakhali and Bali) of Indian Sundarbans. The shrimps were harvested at the end of 93 days and a production of 823.61 kg/ha and 952.20 kg/ha was obtained in the islands Chotomollakhali and Bali respectively.

Keywords

Additives, Monoculture, Growth, Production, Penaeus Monodon..

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Harekrishna Jana ¹, Keshab Chandra Mondal ², Abhijit Mitra ³

Affiliations
1 Department of Microbiology, Panskura Banamali College, Midnapur (East) 721152, West Bengal, IN
2 Department of Microbiology, Vidyasagar University, Midnapur (West) 721102, West Bengal, IN
3 Department of Marine Science, University of Calcutta, 35, B.C. Road, Kolkata-700019, West Bengal, IN

Abstract

Porteresia coarctata (= Oryza coarctata) is a perennial halophytic wild grass, relative of rice and member of the family Poaceae. It acts as a pioneer species in the succession process of mangrove formation along the estuaries of India. The sequestering carbon, fertilizer in aquaculture and salt tolerant property of this mangrove associate has been dealt with by a number of workers earlier. But, the present study was conducted to evaluate the antibacterial property of aqueous, acetone, ethanol and methanol extracts of Porteresia coarctata collected from the Matla river of Indian Sunderban delta. Collected sea weeds were screened for their antibacterial studies against gram positive bacteria including Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus fecalis and Bacillus subtilis and gram-negative bacteria including Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhi, Klebsiella pneumonia and Proteus vulgaris using disc diffusion method. Present study shows that ethanol extracts of Porteresia coarctata has maximum antibacterial activity against E.coli (1.2±0.01 mm) and Streptococcus fecalis (1.4±0.01 mm) at an MIC of 700 μg/mL and 500 μg/mL, respectively. Along with the antimicrobial activities, seaweeds also showed anti-diabetic activity and but have no anti-inflammatory activity. Therefore, the results suggested that these sea weeds could be exploited in the management of various infectious diseases and can be used as for pharmaceutical purpose.

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Sana Ahmed ¹, Subrata Trivedi ², Nabonita Pal ¹, Prosenjit Pramanick ¹, Sufia Zaman ¹, Abhijit Mitra ³

Affiliations
1 Department of Oceanography, Techno India University, West Bengal, EM 4 Salt Lake, Sector V, Kolkata 700091, India., IN
2 School of Health and Applied Sciences, Apex Professional University, NH-52, Pasighat Smart City, PIN-791102, Arunachal Pradesh, India., IN
3 Department of Marine Science, University of Calcutta, 35 B.C. Road, Kolkata-700019, India., IN

Abstract

The present study was carried out during February, 2022 to assess the role played by the major urban floral species in lowering the level of near-surface atmospheric carbon dioxide at five selected sampling stations in the megacity of Kolkata. Seventeen dominant tree species common in the five sampling sites were surveyed, out of which the highest and the lowest mean value of Above Ground Stem Biomass (AGSB) was exhibited by Eucalyptus globus and Alstonia scholaris respectively. The mean Above Ground Stem Carbon (AGSC) also exhibited similar trend with highest value of 2641.03 tha ^-1 by Eucalyptus globusand lowest value of 53.95 tha ^-1 by Alstonia scholaris. The soil pH at the sampling sites ranged between 4.9 to 6.2 and the Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) ranged from 0.52 to 1.29%. The near-surface atmospheric CO₂ level showed the highest value of 418 ppm (at Moulali) and the lowest value of 403 ppm (at Park Circus). The study highlights the potential of urban trees to store carbon in the form of biomass. This can be an effective roadmap to underscore the rising trend of carbon dioxide in the near-surface atmosphere of the city.

Keywords

Atmospheric CO₂, Urban Floral Species, Tree Biomass, Stored Carbon.

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