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Evaluation of geochemical impact of tsunami on Pichavaram mangrove ecosystem, southeast coast of India

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Environmental Geology

Abstract

The 26 December 2004-tsunami has deposited sediments in the Pichavaram mangrove ecosystem, east coast of India. Ten surface and three core sediment samples were collected within 30 days of the event and analyzed for nutrients. Water samples were also analyzed to see the impact of tsunami on the geochemical behavior of nutrients. An increase in the concentration of various nutrients namely nitrate and phosphate was observed. The geochemistry of the mangrove forest was observed to be influenced by a number of factors like rapid increase of aquaculture farms, agricultural practices and the anthropogenic discharge from the nearby-inhabited areas. Further the sediment column was disturbed due to energetic tsunami waves, which has caused a sheer increase in the dissolved oxygen in water. As a result, the change in the redox potential has resulted in change in the nutrients absorbed/associated with the sediments. In addition, role of retreating water after tsunami on the nutrient geochemistry was also evaluated.

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Acknowledgment

The authors acknowledge the Ministry of Forest, Govt of Tamil Nadu for providing permission for sampling as well as Jawaharlal Nehru University for providing necessary facilities to carry out this work. One of the authors (RKR) acknowledges Sat Paul Mittal Trust for providing assistance in the form of scholarship. IFS, FORMAS, Sweden’s (to ALR) partial support to this work is greatly appreciated.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Biogeochemistry Laboratory, School of Environmental Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, 110067, India

    Rajesh Kumar Ranjan, AL. Ramanathan & Gurmeet Singh

  2. Department of Biology, Ecosystem Management Research Group, University of Antwerp “Campus Drie Eiken”, Universiteitsplein 1.BE-2610, Antwerpen, Wilrijk, Belgium

    Gurmeet Singh

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  1. Rajesh Kumar Ranjan
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  2. AL. Ramanathan
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Correspondence to Rajesh Kumar Ranjan.

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Ranjan, R.K., Ramanathan, A. & Singh, G. Evaluation of geochemical impact of tsunami on Pichavaram mangrove ecosystem, southeast coast of India. Environ Geol 55, 687–697 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-007-1019-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-007-1019-9

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