PRESENT STATUS OF MANGROVES AND ASPECT OF POLLUTION INDEX ALONG THE ESTUARINE AREA OF BHAYANDER AND NAIGAON, THANE, MAHARASHTRA, INDIA

Dr. Devdatta Lad; Dr. Shashikant Patil

Volume : IV, Issue : XI, November - 2015

PRESENT STATUS OF MANGROVES AND ASPECT OF POLLUTION INDEX ALONG THE ESTUARINE AREA OF BHAYANDER AND NAIGAON, THANE, MAHARASHTRA, INDIA

Dr. Devdatta Lad, Dr. Shashikant Patil

Abstract :

Mangrove ecosystems exist along the tropical and subtropical seashores. They are found on flat land between the high and low water marks. The present study aims in determining the composition of mangroves and aspect of pollution index along the estuarine area of Bhayander and Naigaon. About 29 different species of mangroves and mangrove associate plants belonging to 14 families are recorded at Station No.1 Bhayander and Station No.2 Naigaon with the family Rhizophoraceae being the dominant out of all the 14 families with 9 observed species. The mean Shannon – Wiener Diversity Index calculated for the mangroves and mangrove associate plant species was 3.28 � 0.006 for Station No.1 Bhayander and it was 3.29 � 0 for Station No.2 Naigaon. The mean Margalef Species Diversity Index of Station No.1 Bhayander for mangroves and mangrove associate plant species was 4.28 � 0.006 and that of Station No.2 Naigaon was calculated to be 4.27 � 0.017. The Staub et.al. scale of pollution in terms of species diversity index for mangroves and mangrove associate plant species indicated slight pollution for both the stations under study.