Nature Environment and Pollution Technology

C. Raghunathan ¹, C. Sivaperuman ¹, Ch. Satyanarayana ², P. T. Rajan ¹

Affiliations
1 Zoological Survey of India, Andaman and Nicobar Regional Station, Port Blair-744 102, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, IN
2 Zoological Survey of India, 2nd Floor, Fireproof Spirit Building, IndianMuseum Complex, 27, JawaharlalNehru Road, Kolkata-700 016,W. B., IN

Abstract

The density and diversity of corals and their associated faunal communities were investigated by underwater survey in Katchal and Teressa Islands of Andaman and Nicobar Archipelago in order to assess the post-tsunami status of corals. The density of scleractinian corals in Katchal Island is 1-13 colonies/10m², and in Teressa Island it ranged from1 to 18 colonies/10m². Fifteen species of scleractinian corals belonging to 13 genera and 6 families with the species diversity of 0.98 were identified during the survey in Katchal Island. Whereas in Teressa Islands 25 species of corals under 14 genera and 7 families with the species diversity of 1.17 have been reported. The density and diversity of coral associated faunal communities such as zooplankton, octocorals, sponges, molluscs and echinoderms were also studied at both the islands.

Keywords

Corals, Post-Tsunami, Katchal & Teressa Islands, Coral Associated Fauna.

Full Text

   

C. Raghunathan ¹, B. Mehmuna ², C. Sivaperuman ¹, R. Kirubagaran ³

Affiliations
1 Zoological Survey of India, Andaman and Nicobar Regional Station, Haddo, Port Blair-744 102, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, IN
2 National Institute of Ocean Technology, Andaman and Nicobar Centre for Ocean Science and Technology, Port Blair-744 103, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, IN
3 National Institute of Ocean Technology, Pallikaranai, Chennai-600 100, T.N., IN

Abstract

Andaman Sea is partially isolated portion of the northeastern Indian Ocean which lies enclosed between the coast of Burma, Thailand and Malaysia on the east and the chain of Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Sumatra Islands of Indonesia on the west. The biomass, density, diversity and distribution of oceanic zooplankton were studied from 10 stations along the continental slope of Andaman Sea during September 10-20, 2008 by onboard research vessel ORV Sagar Manjusha. A total of 96 species of zooplankton belonging to 19 groups and 74 genera were recorded during the study. Copepods were the dominant group at all the stations and their composition of occurrence ranged from 30.39% at station 4 to 44.30% at station 7. The volume of zooplankton ranged between 4.7mL/100m³ and 12.7mL/100m³ at stations 6 and 3 respectively. However, the numerical density of zooplankton along the study area showed minimum as 17300 No./100m³ and maximum as 31620 No./100m³ at these stations. The data pertaining to physicochemical parameters of seawater were also collected and the results discussed.

Keywords

Oceanic Zooplankton, Diversity, Density, Biomass, Andaman Sea.

Full Text