Murukesh, Nebula; Dr. Chandramohanakumar, N(April 21, 2016)
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Abstract:
Mangroves are specialised ecosystems developed along estuarine sea
coasts and river mouths in tropical and subtropical regions of the world,
mainly in the intertidal zone. Hence, the ecosystem and its biological
components is under the influence of both marine and freshwater
conditions and has developed a set of physiological adaptations to
overcome problems of anoxia, salinity and frequent tidal inundations. This
has led to the assemblage of a wide variety of plant and animal species of
special adaptations suited to the ecosystem.
The path of photosynthesis in mangroves is different from other
glycophytes. There are modifications or alterations in other physiological
processes such as carbohydrate metabolism or polyphenol synthesis. As
they survive under extreme conditions of salinity, temperature, tides and
anoxic soil conditions they may have chemical compounds, which protect
them from these destructive elements. Mangroves are necessarily tolerant
of high salt levels and have mechanisms to take up water despite strong
osmotic potentials. Some also take up salts, but excrete them through
specialised glands in the leaves. Others transfer salts into senescent leaves
or store them in the bark or the wood. Still others simply become
increasingly conservative in their water use as water salinity increases. A
usual transportation or biosynthetic path as other plants cannot be expected
in mangrove plants.
In India, the states like West Bengal, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil
Nadu, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Kerala, Goa, Maharashtra, and
Gujarat occupy vast area of mangroves. Kerala has only 6 km2 total
mangrove area with Rhizophora apiculata, Rhizophora mucronata,
Bruguiera gymnorrhiza, Bruguiera cylindrica, Avicennia officinalis,
Sonneratia caseolaris, Sonneratia apetala and Kandelia candal, as the
important species present, most of which belong to the family
Rhizophoraceae.Rhizophoraceae mangroves are ranked as “major elements of
mangroves” as they give the real shape of this unique and interesting
ecosystem and these mangrove species most productive and typical
characteristic ecosystem of World renowned. It was found that the
Rhizophoraceae mangrove extracts exhibit several bioactive properties.
Various parts of these mangroves are used in ethnomedicinal practices.
Even though extracts from these mangroves possess therapeutic activity
against humans, animal and plant pathogens, the specific metabolites
responsible for these bioactivities remains to be elucidated. Various parts of
these mangroves are used in ethnomedicinal practices. There is a gap of
information towards the chemistry of Rhizophoraceae mangroves from
Kerala.
Thorough phytochemical investigation can achieve the validity of
ethnomedicines as well as apply the use of mangrove plants in the
development of new drugs. Such studies can pave a firm base for their use
in biomarker and chemotaxonomic studies as well as for the better
management of the existing mangrove ecosystem. In this study, the various
chemical parameters including minerals, biochemical components,
bioactive and biomarker molecules were used to classify and assess the
possible potentials of the mangrove plants of the true mangrove family
Rhizophoraceae from Kochi.
Shaly,John; Jacob,Chacko(Department of Chemical Oceanography, March , 2003)
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Abstract:
Mangrove forests are best developed on tropical shorelines where there is an extensive intertidal zone, with an abundant supply of fine-grained sediment. It receives a mixture of liable and refractory organic and inorganic phosphorus compounds from the overlying water and the surrounding landmasses. Organic phosphorus is not available for mangrove plant nutrition. While inorganic phosphate represents the largest potential pool of plant-available and which are bound in the form of Ca, Fe and Al phosphate. It deals with the scientific investigations on mangrove systems in the Kerala coastline and to investigate nutrient distribution of mangrove ecosystems of greater Cochin area. It discusses the description of study areas such as Murikkumpadam-Vypeen Island and Aroor. Then it deals with the spatial and seasonal distribution of dissolved ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, inorganic phosphate, organic phosphate and the total phosphorus in surface waters of mangrove fringed creeks. Then it discusses the geochemical compositions of mangrove-fringed sediments and also the chemical speciation of phosphorus in sediment cores.
Narayanan, T; Dr.Chandramohanakumar, N(Cochin University of Science And Technology, June , 2006)
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Abstract:
The thesis entitled “Sterols in Mangrove Sediments of the Cochin
Estuary” is an attempt to characterize the sterol content of the mangrove
sediments, their dietary status with respect to the natural flora and fauna
present, their transfonnations in the sediment and assess contributions, if any to
the nursery character of the mangrove eco system. Samplings were done from
two sites at Mangalavanam and Vypin. Mangalavanam is a patchy mangrove
area in the heart of the city of Cochin and serves as a small bird sanctuary. This
is an almost closed system with a single narrow canal linking to the estuary.
Vypin, the largest single stretch of mangroves in Kerala, is regularly inundated
by a semi diurnal rhythm of Cochin bar mouth. Perhaps, this is the only site in
Kerala where one can see mangroves right along the accreting seacoast.
However a lot of developmental pressure is threatening the very existence of
these mangroves. Post monsoon sediment samples from these areas were used
for the present study, as it is the period of maximum faunal growth and activity
Description:
School of marine sciences, Cochin University of Science And Technology