A Study of Water Quality Status of Mangrove Vegetation in Pichavaram Estuary

Mangrove ecosystem is unique in nature due to the combination of Halophytic plants, animals, birds and aquatic organisms. Such wetland ecosystems possess rich nutrition status that contributes rich bio resources to aquatic flora and fauna. Brackish water within the ambit of Pichavaram plays a pivotal role on growth and development of mangrove community. A study was undertaken to understand the surface water dynamics quality parameters in Pichavaram Estuary. Analysis of water quality parameters was assessed for the period of November 2012. Adequate care was taken to cover all tidal regimes (i.e.) (i) Inlet: the point where the principal feeder opens into the estuary; (ii) Center: the point that gives the general water quality of the estuary; (iii) Outlet: the place where the overflow occurs. Study sites from which samples were collected, were identified adjoining the region of Parangipettai Vellar Estuary and Pichavaram mangrove forest. Ten surface water samples were collected. These were analyzed for physico-chemical parameters such as temperature, pH, salinity, dissolved oxygen and total dissolved solids vary significantly among the three regions. All studied parameters were spatially interpolated in GIS environment to understand the distribution of individual nutrient in the ecosystem. The results of the statistical analysis were subjected to cluster analysis for grouping parameters based on similarity and dissimilarities. Individual parameter values were overlaid on the LANDSAT imagery to understand spatial representation of water quality with respect to bio-physical value of the mangrove ecosystem.