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Ecologically
Important Areas
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Krishna
Delta:
Krishna
Delta is located 90 km south southeast of Vijaywada and 50 km south of Machillipatnam.
Geographically it is situated between 15º 42'-15º 48' N latitude and 80º 50'-
81 º 00' E longitudes and it covers an area of 200 km². Extensive mangrove forest
with a network of narrow channels occur, in the delta of the Krishna river. The
Krishna divides into three major channels; much of the western part of the delta
has been reclaimed for agriculture, and the remaining mangrove forest are concentrated
in the eastern portion. The forests are bordered on their landward side by marshy
land which is inundated by monsoon run-off in June-October, and dries out completely
in April-June. This wetland has an area of ecologically important features such
as mangrove, plantation, mud flat, sand bar etc. The area of important wetland
classes in Krishna delta are presented in Table 3.
Biodiversity:
Flora:
The
mangrove vegetation in Krishna mangrove ecosystems encompass from giant forests
of Avicennia
officinalis and Sonneratia
and the other species include Avicennia
marina Excoeras agallocha, rhizopora apiculata, Bruguiera gymnorrhiza, Ceriops
roxburghaina, Aegiceras corniclatum and Lumnitzera
racemosa. 32 species of mangrove and mangrove associated plants belonging
to 26 genera and 18 families are recorded in Krishna mangrove ecosystem.
Fig: Avicennia
officinalis
Table 3 Wetland
classes and its areal extent of Krishna delta
| Sl
No | Wetland
classes | Area
in km² | | 1 |
Mangroves |
105.7 |
| 2 |
Forest |
4.2 |
| 3 |
Plantation |
3.1 |
| 4 |
Mud flat |
75 |
| 5 |
Sandy beach |
30.2 |
| 6 |
Aquaculture
Ponds | 0.4 |
| 7 |
Salt pan |
6.5 |
| 8 |
Sand Dunes |
14.9 |
| 9 |
Salt Marsh |
50.0 |
Fig:
Ecologically Important
Area in Andhra Pradesh: Krishna Delta
Fauna
Zooplankton:
Zooplankton
in Godavari mangrove ecosystem comprises of 27 groups. They are
Medusae,
Ctenophores, Polychaetes, Copepods, Ostracods, Isopods, Amphipodes, Mysids, Lucifers,
Acetes sp., Gastropods, Chaetognaths, Appendicularans, Tunicates, Rotifers, Fish
juveniles, Eggs, Polychaetes larvae, Nauplii, Prawn protozoea, Prawn zoea, Mysis,
Crab zoea, Megalopa larvae, Bivalve larvae and
Fish
larvae.
Macrobenthos:
The
macrobenthic animal of Godavari mangrove ecosystems are represented by 15 groups.
They are:
Sea anemones, Nemerteans, Polychaetes, Oligochaetes, Mysids, Isopods, Amphipods,
Prawns Crabs, Halacarid mites, Insect larvae, Univalves, Bivalves, Fish juveniles
& Sipunculids.
The group polychaetes are represented
by 18 species. They are : Phyllodoce
castanea, phyllodoce malmgreni, Namalycastis indica, Dendronereis arborifera,
Nereis indica, Nereis cricognatha, Nereis sp. Ceratomereis burmensis sp. Nephthys
dibranchis, Lumbriconereis simplex, Glycera longipinnis, Laonice cirrata, Magilona
sp. Capitella
sp. Sternaspis scutsts, Streblosoma cespitosa and
Laonome
indica.
Meiobenthos:
Meiobenthos
comprises of 12 groups. The
harpacticoid copepoda was represented by 22 species in Godavari mangrove
habitats. The following were observed: Longipodia
weberi, Canuella perplexa, sunaristes sp. Halectinosoma curticorne, Halectinosoma
gothiceps, Tachidius disciples, Pseudostenhelia secunda, Stenhelia longifurca,
St (D). madrasessis, robertsonia sp. Amphiasdcoides sp. Amiera parvula, Nitocra
spinipes, Phyllopodopsyllus longicaudatus, Stenocopia sp. Enhydrosoma buccholtzi,
Enhydrosoma sp. Cletocamptus confluens, Nannops palustris, Limnocletodes behningi,
Onychocamptus bengalensis,
and Quinguelaophonte
quinquespinosa.
Molluscs:
Molluscs
are represented by 23 species belonging to 29 genera and 14 families. They
are: Univalves:
Neria chameleon, Neritina depress; Littorina scabra, L. melanostoma, L.intermediate;
Assiminea brevicula; Cerithidae fluviatilis, C. decollate, Telescopium telescopium,
Terebralia palustris; and Onchidium
verruculatum.
Bivalves:
Anadara
granosa; Perna viridis; Plancenta; Meretrix casta, Katelysia opima; Tellina ala
and Solen
sp.
Prawns:
18
species of prawns belonging to 8 genera and 3 families occur here. The genus Metapenaeus
was represented by 5 species by the
genera
Penaeus and
Macrobrachium.
Crabs:
11
species of crabs belonging to 10 genera and 3 family were recorded. They include:
Scylla
serrata, Portunus pelagicus, Charybdis cruciata, Uca dussumieri Macropthalmus
crinitus, Pachygrapsus sp. Varuna, litterata, Sesarma oceanica, Sesarma quadrata,
Metopograpsus messor
and
Grapsus
strigous.
Finfish:
106 finfish species belonging to 78 genera
and 52 famillies were present.
Mullets (mugil cephalus, Liza
melanoptera, Valamugil cunnessius), Croackers (Dendrophysa resselli), Indian shads
(Hilsa ilisha) catfish (Arius caelatus), grunters (Pomadasya hasta), Perches (Lates
calcarifer), Pomfrets
(Pampus argentitus), goatfish (Upeneus sulphureus) and
eels
(Anguill bicolor).
Birds:
The following species of birds are seen in
Godavari mangrove ecosystem.
Podiceps ruficollis, Pelicanus philippensis, Anhinga rufa, Palacrocorax niger,
Ardea cinerea, Egretta sp. Ardeola greylil, Ibis leucocephalus, Pseudibis papillosa,
Anser indicus and Anas
sp.
Threats:
The Coringa mangrove
ecosystems have, like other biotopes, been experiencing the human-impact in the
form of resource utilization and resource alteration/modification. The utilization
of mangrove resources reached the stage of indiscriminate exploitation (e.g.)
excessive deforestation, injudicious harvesting of juveniles and the dependence
of local people on mangroves for firewood. Expansion of agriculture in the hinterland
is leading to increased encroachment on the land ward margin of the forests, and
overgrazing by cattle from neighboring villages is becoming a problem. The proposed
construction of a new road from Nagayalanka town to Nagayalanka lighthouse would
involve the destruction of some of the mangrove forest. |
