Spatial and Temporal Oscillations of Primary Production and Physicochemical Characteristics in a Tropical Ramsar Site ( Cochin Backwaters-south West Coast of India )

Content Provider	Semantic Scholar
Author	Joseph, Geo Francis, D. M. Mavelil, Parvathy V. Manicketh, Tintu Jose
Copyright Year	2018
Abstract	Estuaries are sited among the most productive biomes of the world. cochin backwater is the largest and most productive tropical positive estuarine system situated at the south west coast of India. The present investigation analysed spatiotemporal variations of primary production, physicochemical characteristics and nutrients in the estuary. The ANOSIM result identified significant variation in primary production, physicochemical parameters and nutrients across the station groups (R=0.36) and month groups (R=0.20). Two-Way ANOVA results of net primary production, Physicochemical parameters (temperature, light transparency,dissolved oxygen, pH and salinity) and nutrients (nitrate, nitrite, phosphate and silicate) showed significant spatiotemporal variations in the estuary. Implication of nutrient status confirmed that the nutrient limitation did not occur in cochin backwaters and it was mainly influenced by the river discharge, influx of marine water and intense human activities. The SIMMPER analysis identified surface temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH and salinity as the most important physicochemical parameters contributing more than 70 percentages on each month in the ecosystem except in June and August where salinity was not contributing. The results unravelled significant monthly correlation existed among the water quality parameters in the estuary. The correlation of water quality parameters that are important for the water quality variation for one month may not be important for another month. Further detailed research studies are required for explaining the reasons for such relationships. The present study confirmed the great dynamism, high monthly fluctuation of primary production, physicochemical parameters and nutrients in the cochin backwaters.
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Language	English
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Content Type	Text
Resource Type	Article