A baseline study of temporal and spatial variations of physico-chemical variables in Vellar estuary Parangipettai southeast of India

Abstract

Abstract The Vellar estuary are predominated by mudflats and having dense mangrove vegetation, these mangrove act as major nursery ground feeding for a various marine animal like fin and shellfishes. The current study is an effort to gather baseline study data for the area near the Vellar estuary mangroves. Since, Temperature, Nitrate, pH, Salinity, Ammonia, Inorganic phosphate, Dissolved Oxygen and Silicate is a key factor affecting chemical and biological water reactions, as well as controlling photosynthesis in coastal regions and influencing temperatures in swamp, flora and fauna in the estuary. Therefore, unique seasonal variation was observed in the present study. The increasing trend in nutrients levels are observed in summer to monsoon and low in summer seasons. These oscillations of hydrological parameters support primary production in this Vellar estuary.