A preliminary study of the little known mangroves of Nellore district,

Andhra Pradesh
+
N.S.R. Krishna Rao, D.R.K. Murthy, A. Madhusudana Rao, * B. Suryanarayana and
** A. Sreenivasa Rao.
Sarvahitha (N.G.O), Kavali 524 201.

ABSTRACT

Mangroves are unique, dynamic, multifunctional ecosystem typically inhabiting

water- logged, broad muddy flats in estuaries and river-mouths along intertidal zones of
tropical and subtropical areas. Andhra Pradesh coast is rich in mangrove biodiversity from
Srikakulam district in the north to Nellore in the southern end of state. There are extensive
mangrove wetlands in the estuaries of Nellore district. High saline conditions due to a
depleted quantum of fresh water carried by river Pennar, other rivulets and tributaries and
failure of monsoon over successive years have a negative impact on the mangrove
biodiversity of Nellore district. While twenty true mangrove species are so far reported in
Andhra Pradesh, only nine are recorded in Nellore district. As with other mangrove wetlands,
in Nellore district also mangrove biodiversity is endangered mostly due to anthropogenic
factors.
Key Words: Mangrove biodiversity, High salinity.

* Retired Principal, Karanakamma street, Venkatagiri- 524 132.

* Viswodaya Government College, Venkatagiri.

+
Email : info@syndypharma.com
Introduction:

Mangroves are a unique ecosystem and comprise of a group of specialized plants

occurring along the intertidal zones of tropical and subtropical belts, inhabiting estuaries,
tidal creeks, detas, river banks and water logged broad muddy flats. Mangrove soils are
poorly drained and are known as anaerobic soils. As such, mangroves adapt to the
environment through certain unique features such as pneumatophores (breathing roots), knee-
roots, salt-glands, salt-excluding mechanism, a thick cuticle, coriaceous leaves and
viviparous seeds. Mangrove forests are multi-functional. They serve as cyclone-barriers
acting as a shelter-belt / bioshield, in soil conservation, sustainable fisheries, provide
medicinal products as well as fire-wood and fodder. They are habitats of a wide range of
fauna and play a dominant role in the global cycle of carbon dioxide, nitrogen and sulphur.

In India, mangroves cover an area of 5,00,000 ha, which is five percent of the global
mangroves. The bulk of Indian mangroves occur in the east coast, covering an area of
3,72,400 ha (Ravishankar et.al.2004) . Deltaic type of mangroves mainly occur in the east
coast in the vast deltaic zones formed by the rivers, Brahmaputra, Ganga, Mahanadi,
Godavari, Krishna and Cauvery. The Sunderbans of West Bengal and Bangladesh are the
most outstanding mangrove wetlands of the east coast. The extent of mangrove forests in
India is shown in Table 1.
Table 1: Area of Mangrove Vegetation in Coastal States of India.

Sl. No. State Location Area in Sq.Km.

( FSI, 1999)

1. West Bengal Sunderbans 2,125

2. Orissa Devi mouth 10
3. Orissa Mahanadi & Bhitarkanika 205
4. Andhra Pradesh Godavari 241
5. Andhra Pradesh Krishna 156
6. Tamilnadu Pichavaram 9
7. Tamilnadu Muthupet 12
8. Karnataka Karwar 3
9. Goa Goa 5
10. Maharashtra Rathnagiri 12
11. Maharashtra Mumbai 96
12. Gujarat Gulf of Kambhat 32
13. Gujarat Gulf of Kutchch 994
14. Andaman & Nicobar Andaman 929
Islands
15. Andaman & Nicobar Nicobar 37
Islands
Total: 4,866

Courtesy: M. S. Swaminathan Research Foundation, Chennai.

In Andhra Pradesh, mangrove forests account for 582 Sq. Km, with the bulk of them
occurring in Godavari and Krishna basins in East Godavari and Krishna and Guntur districts,
respectively. Copious fresh water at the mouths of these two mighty rivers accounts for
luxurious growth and mangrove biodiversity. In addition to Godavari and Krishna basins,
mangroves do occur in the other coastal districts from Srikakulam to Nellore.
 Nellore district has a coastline of 175 Km. along the Bay of Bengal the district is
situated at 13o.30 15o.10N longitude and 79o.5 80o.16 E latitude. The waterway,
Buckingham canal, situated 1-2.5 Km away, runs parallel along the coast from Chennai to
Kakinada, in East Godavari district. The Pennar and Swarnamukhi rivers traverse the district
before joining the Bay of Bengal, but both of them are non-perennial (monsoon) rivers.

There are eleven coastal mandals in Nellore district commencing with Kavali mandal
in the north and ending with Tada mandal in the southern tip of the district. Chippaleru, and
Pillivagu streams traverse Bogole mandal. Pyderu stream passes through Allur and
Vidavalur mandal. Downstream, in the district, river Pennar traverses Vidavalur and
Indukurpet mandal. Kandleru traverses Muthukuru mandal while Challakalva a major
stream and Swarnamukhi river pass through Kota and Vakadu mandals, respectively Kalangi
and Kaleru rivers pass through Sullurpet mandal (Table 2).
Table 2: Rivers / rivulets / tributaries / streams passing downstream the coast in
Nellore district.

Sl.No Water body Status Mandal Location

1. Chippaleru Stream Bogole
2. Pillivagu Stream Bogole
3. Pyderu Rivulet Allur & Vidavalur
4. Pennar River Vidavalur & Indukurpet
5. Kandleru River Muthukur
6. Challakalva Rivulet Kota
7. Swarnamukhi River Vakadu
8. Kalangi River Sullurpet
9. Kaleru Rivulet Sullurpet

Source: A.P. Irrigation Department.

 These water bodies are active only during monsoon especially, north-east monsoon
and carry surplus flood waters to Bay of Bengal and sustain the mangroves of the district. In
contrasts with the rest of the coastal districts of A.P., it is during the north-east monsoon
(October December) that most of the precipitation occurs in the district. Besides,
depressions in Bay of Bengal during October December bring forth heavy rains.

Materials and Methods:

Field trips were undertaken to certain mangrove wetlands of the district. They are
1) Gogulapalli- Laxmipuram (Allur mandal) 2) Ponnapudi (Vidavalur mandal) 3)
Utukuru (Vidavalur mandal) and 4) Krishnapatnam (Mutthukur mandal). The mangrove
wetlands were videographed / photographed. Specimens of mangroves were collected and
herbaria prepared. Voucher specimens were deposited with Department of Botany, Jawahar
Bharati Degree College, Kavali. Identification of mangroves was done following the keys
and descriptions provided (Gamble 1957), Suryanarayana &Rao (1989), Ramasubramanian
et al. (2003) and Selvan and Karunagaran (2004). Water samples at the respective mangrove
regions were collected, their salinity and dissolved oxygen determined. Data regarding fresh
water bodies joining the sea was obtained. Data on temperature and rainfall for preceding
years were collected. Data on surplus water discharged from river Pennar was provided by
the Irrigation department, A.P. All these data were collected with a view to determining the
effect of these parameters on the growth / biodiversity of the mangroves of the district.
Observations:
Only nine true mangrove species are recorded in the present study (Table.4).
Table 4: True Mangroves recorded in Nellore district.

Sl. No. Species Family

1. Avicennia marina (Forssk) Vierh Avicenniaceae
2. Avicennia officinalis L Avicenniaceae
3. Aegiceras corniculatum (L) Blanco Myrsinaceae
4. Bruguiera cylindrica (L) Bl Rhizophoraceae
5. Ceriops decandra (Griff). Ding Hou Rhizophoraceae
6. Excoecaria agallocha L Euphorbiaceae
7. Lumnitzera racemosa willd Combretaceae
8. Rhizophora apiculata Bl Rhizophoraceae
9. R. mucronata poir Rhizophoraceae

Even among the nine species, only Avicennia marina, Rhizophora mucronata and
R.apiculata are the most conspicuous, while the rest are sparcely distributed. Photographs of
the mangrove wetlands at Gogulapalli, Ponnapudi, Utukuru and Krishnapatnam reveal that
A.marina is the most dominant species. The vast mangrove wetlands show that A.marina is
very much stunted with a height of 1.5 to 2 meters and a girth of about 15Cm. At
Krishnapatnam and Utukuru, however they are 4-5 m. tall, with a girth of 40-50 Cm.

Salinity and dissolved oxygen of the brackish water where mangroves are growing
are shown in Table .5.
Table 5: Salinity and dissolved oxygen values in certain mangrove
wetlands in Nellore district*.

Sl . No. Mangrove area Salinity (ppt) Dissolved oxygen (ppm)

1. Gogulapalli 28 0.1
2. Ponnapudi 30 0.1
3. Utukuru 25 0.2
4. Krishnapatnam 35 0.1

* Samples analyzed in February 2006.

 Rainfall and temperature data are given Table. 6, 7 and 7A, respectively.

Table 6: Nellore District Average RAINFALL,1993-94 TO 2005-06 ACTUAL

NORMAL

1712
1800

1549
1600

1387
1305
1400
1168

1102
1080

1080

1080

1080

1080

1080
1046
1200

994
981

981

981

981

981

981

981
964

907
1000

815

809
mm

780
800

600

400

200

*2003-04

*2004-05

*2005-06
1993-94

1994-95

1995-96

1996-97

1997-98

1998-99

1999-2000

2000-01

2001-02

2002-03
Years

Source : Chief Planning Officer: Nellore

* Approximation

Table 7: Temperature (in C) Data for Nellore district from 1999 to 2005
Year 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004* 2005*
Month Max Min Max Min Max Min Max Min Max Min Max Min Max Min
January 30.2 20.5 29.9 20.5 29.5 21.5 29.0 21.9 30.2 21.1 30.0 21.0 30.2 21.2
February 31.4 23.0 32.1 22.0 32.0 22.5 30.9 22.6 31.0 23.0 31.0 22.5 31.3 23.0
March 34.3 23.5 36.3 24.0 36.5 24.5 35.0 24.4 34.7 24.2 34.5 24.1 34.0 24.0
April 39.3 26.9 38.7 27.1 38.0 27.0 37.3 26.9 38.0 26.3 38.3 26.5 38.0 27.0
May 39.9 27.4 39.2 28.3 40.0 29.0 40.1 29.8 41.5 29.3 42.0 29.1 41.0 29.3
June 35.9 27.1 38.0 28.3 37.5 29.0 36.3 28.7 40.1 29.2 39.0 28.5 39.2 28.0
July 34.0 26.4 36.4 27.8 37.0 27.5 37.3 28.5 34.5 25.9 36.0 25.0 37.0 25.3
August 33.9 25.7 35.4 27.0 35.5 27.0 35.3 26.6 34.5 26.3 35.1 25.5 35.3 25.8
September 34.5 26.4 35.0 26.9 37.0 26.5 38.8 27.0 35.4 26.5 29.0 25.0 33.5 25.5
October 33.0 24.9 32.2 24.5 32.5 25.0 32.3 25.5 33.1 25.1 33.0 24.5 32.0 23.3
November 30.5 23.4 30.6 23.0 30.0 23.0 29.7 23.3 31.6 23.3 31.0 21.0 30.5 21.0
December 28.1 20.5 28.7 21.1 29.0 21.0 29.6 21.2 29.9 20.9 29.5 21.1 28.6 21.5
Source: Director, Mateorological Centre, Hyderabad.
* Figures from other sources.
 Table 7A : Maximum and Minimum temperature for Nellore District from 1999 to 2005
Table.8 shows surplus water discharged at Nellore anicut which traverse a distance of
Temperature (oC)

50 about
40 30 Km 39
before joining 40Bengal at 41
40 the Bay of 42
Utukuru of Vidavalur 41
mandal.
40
Minimum
30 20 20 21 21 21 21 21
At Gogulapalli, Ponnapudi and Muthukur there are large saltpans adjoining mangrove
20
Maximum
wetlands. There are also prawn ponds, some of them abandoned, in the vicinity. At
10
0 Krishnapatnam robust mangroves are felled for the sake of the upcoming port. There is
1999 2000 2001 2002 *2003 *2004 *2005
intrusion of Prosopis into mangrove wetlands at Utukuru and Krishnapatnam.
Years

Source: Director, Mateorological Centre, Hyderabad.

* Figures from other sources.

Discussion:
Twenty true mangroves were recorded in different estuaries / river mouths/ islets in
A.P. (Table.3).
Table 3: Status of Mangroves in Andhra Pradesh.
Sl. No. Species Family
1. Aegiceras corniculatum (L) Blanco Myrsinaceae
2. Avicennia alba Bl. Avicenniaceae
3. A. marina (Forssk) Vierh Avicenniaceae
4. A. officinalis L. Avicenniaceae
5. Bruguiera cylindrica (L) Bl. Rhizophoraceae
6. B. gymnorrhiza (L.) Savigny Rhizophoraceae
7. *B. parviflora (Roxb) Wight &Arn.ex Griff. Rhizophoraceae
8. Ceriops decandra (Griff) Ding Hou Rhizophoraceae
9. *Ceriops tagal (Perr) Robins. Rhizophoraceae
10. Excoecaria agallocha L. Euphorbiaceae
11. *Kandelia candel (L.) Druce Rhizophoraceae
12. Lumnitzera racemosa Willd Combretaceae
13. Rhizophora apiculata Bl. Rhizophoraceae
14. R. mucronata Poir Rhizophoraceae
15. Scyphiphora hydrophyllacea Gaertn Rubiaceae
16. Sonneratia alba J. Sm. Sonneratiaceae
17. S. apetala Buch. Ham Sonneratiaceae
18. *S. caseolaris (L.) Engl Sonneratiaceae
19. Xylocarpus granatum Koenig Meliaceae
20. X. mollucensis (Lam.) M. Roemer Meliaceae
 Only nine true mangroves were recorded in the current investigation. Suryanarayana
and Rao (1989) also reported the same true mangroves in the Nellore district. This shows that
there is very meagre species biodiversity of mangroves in Nellore district. Apart from
Avicennia marina Rhizophora mucronata and R.apiculata even the other six species
recorded in the district are sparsely distributed.

High salinity is the plausible explanation for stunted growth of A. marina. Thus we
find only scrub mangroves in the vast mangrove wetlands of the district. The tidal effect,
meagre freshwater flushing and prevailing high temperature almost throughout the year have
a two-fold effect on mangrove biodiversity of these wetlands. Firstly, high salinity results in
stunted growth among mangroves which are naturally slow-growing. However, further
studies on salinity are required to support this claim. Secondly, saline-sensitive species fail to
grow in such conditions (Selvan and Karunagaran 2004) resulting in very little biodiversity.
Extensive salt-pans in the vicinity of mangrove wetlands also account for high salinity.
Aquaculture ponds nearby contribute to the emission of toxic wastes into mangrove wetlands
endangering sensitive species.

With the construction of Somasila dam upstream of Pennar in the district and increase
in ayacut during the past two decades, discharge of surplus water into the sea, except during
floods, has considerably declined. Failure of monsoon over the past 7-8 years has also
aggravated the situation in respect of fresh water flushing. This accounts for the prevailing
high salinity. If the heavy rains experienced in 2005 continue in the years to follow we can
expect resumed growth and higher biodiversity of mangroves in the district.

Conclusions:
From the foregoing discussion it is evident that high salinity, scarcity of fresh water at
river mouths, the vagaries of rainfall over successive years and prevailing high temperature
almost throughout the year have all contributed to the scrub mangroves of the district. The
high salinity also accounts for the decline in saline-sensitive mangrove species. Irrigation
needs apart, a bare minimum quantum of water should be made available at river mouths to
sustain mangrove vegetation. Then they would act as a virtual bioshield against cyclones.
 Conservation of mangroves will be feasible only when all the stakeholders realize the
importance of mangroves. Apart from natures vagaries, several anthropogenic factors are
responsible for the plight of mangroves of the district. At Krishnapatnam, the state
government is responsible for large scale felling of well-grown mangroves for construction
of port. Since most of the mangrove wetlands in Nellore district are under the purview of
revenue department, they are easily encroached upon for fuel wood and grazing by cattle.
This can be controlled by transferring these wetlands to forest department. Saltpans and
aquaculture ponds should be removed in the neighborhood of mangrove wetlands. These
steps will go a long way in safeguarding mangroves of the district and their resumed growth.
The menace posed by Prosopis should be addressed at the earliest. The local inhabitants
should be educated about the importance of mangroves and encouraged to from mangrove
protection committees. A comprehensive and authentic survey of the mangrove wetlands of
the Nellore district is required to determine their extent and to put them on the mangrove map
of Andhra Pradesh.
The cooperation of Dr. C.V.N. Murthy, Jawahar Bharati Degree College, Kavali is
acknowledged.

References:
1.Gamble, J.S. and C.E.C. Fischer: 1915-35: Flora of Presidency of Madras, London.
Rep.ed.1957 Calcutta.
2. Ramasubramanian, R., T.Ravishankar and D. Sridhar. 2003: Mangroves of
Andhra Pradesh- Identificaton and Conservation manual. M.S. Swaminathan
Research Foundation, Chennai. 67pp.
3. Ravishankar, T., L. Gnanappazham, R. Ramasubramanian, D. Sridhar,
M.Navamuniyammal and V. Selvan. 2004: Atlas of Mangrove Wetlands of India.
Part 2 Andhra Pradesh M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation, Chennai. 136pp.
4. Selvan, V and V.M. Karunagaran. 2004: Ecology and Biology of Mangroves: M.S.
Swaminathan Reaserch Foundation, Chennai. 61pp.
5. Suryanarayana, V and A. Sreenivasara Rao, 1989: Flora of Nellore district, Andhra
Pradesh. Gurudev Prakash Publishers, Shrirampur. 694pp.