Analysis of mangrove vegetation of Machilipatnam coastal region, Krishna district, Andhra pradesh

Abstract

Mangrove Ecosystems play an important role in preventing cyclones and tsunamis at estuaries from entering into interior land and in the economic development of local inhabitants. Mangrove plants have special adaptations such as stilt roots, viviparous germination, salt-excreting leaves, breathing roots, knee roots by which these plants survive in water logged anaerobic saline soils. The study of mangrove ecosystems in the deltaic region of Krishna river, particularly in Machilipatnam coastal region is very less and hence taken up. Selection of the main field stations, the study of various representative quadrats of sub-field stations and the study of mangrove species are made. The Frequencies, Important Value Index (IVI), Maturity Index Values (MIV) and Similarity Index (SI) and Coefficient Difference (CD) of the mangrove species in the study area are determined.