Impact of Aquatic Salinity on Mangrove Seedlings: A Case Study on Heritiera fomes (Common Name: Sundari) by Abhijit Mitra in BJSTR
Abstract
Heritiera fomes (commonly known as Sundari in India) is
gradually getting extinct from high saline pockets of lower Gangetic
plain.
Hydroponically grown seedlings of the species were analyzed for Chl a,
Chl b, total chlorophyll, Chl a:b ratio and carotenoid at five different
salinity levels (2, 5, 10, 15 and 20 psu). The concentrations of
chlorophyll and carotenoid pigments exhibited significant negative
correlations
with salinity (p < 0.01). The total chlorophyll expressed, on unit
fresh wt. basis decreased by 63.39% to 73.33% and in case of carotenoid
the
decrease was from 27.78% to 36.84% with the increase of salinity from 2
to 20 psu. The Chl a:b ratio in the plant remained almost constant
throughout the period of investigation during 2017 January. The results
show that Heritiera fomes of Indian Sundarbans region can be
sustained
and propagated under low saline environment. At 15 psu, the plants
become acclimated in one to two weeks, but at 20 psu the seedlings could
not survive. The study is important as rising salinity is experienced in
central Indian Sundarbans of lower Gangetic plain due to sea level rise
and obstruction of freshwater flow from Ganga-Bhagirathi-Hooghly channel
as a result of heavy siltation.
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