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Patterns of Vegetation Dynamics across Mild Disturbance Gradient in a Freshwater Wetland System in Southern India

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Abstract

Ponnani Kole wetlands, the northward extension of Vembanad Kole Ramsar site in Kerala, Southern India, is facing environmental pressures due to increases in human population, changes in land use pattern, improper watershed management and urban developments. The current study describes the community assemblage pattern of macrophytes and their variations within and among areas affected by environmental disturbances in Ponnani Kole wetland system. The macrophyte community structures in the study site were characterized with reference to areas of saline intrusion, intense agricultural activities and sewage disposal. Sphaeranthus africanus and Colocasia esculenta were specific to sewage; Rotala indica, Hedyotis corymbosa, Limnophila heterophylla and Eriocaulon setaceum were specific to agriculture; while, Acanthus ilicifolius, and Mariscus dubius were specific to areas of saline intrusion in the study site. Mean diversity did not vary significantly among the different zones of disturbance with the exception of saline intruded areas. Taxonomically, similar species flourished well in all regions of the study except in the saline intrusion area. In undisturbed areas, considered as control, the occurrence of all macrophytes was observed in equal proportions with the exception of mangroves and suspended hydrophytes. However, in sewage disposal areas, the occurrence of 45 species was observed with unequal predominance of all taxa, viz. class, order and family of macrophytes. The implementation of decision supporting tools to aid strategy and policy makers explore land-use options and disturbance scenarios along with ecological tools assessing multiple ecosystem services will see Ponnani Kole wetland become established as a macrophyte dominated ecological regime which can be further developed as a conservation and educational site for tropical aquatic macrophytes.

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Acknowledgements

Authors gratefully acknowledge the help rendered by Dr.A.K.Pradeep, Assistant Professor and former Herbarium Curator of University of Calicut (CALI) for the identification of collected plant species. Authors gratefully acknowledge the comments of two anonymous referees which considerably improved the quality of manuscript. Authors acknowledge Dr. Shahul Hameed, for providing rain gauge data from the Kelappaji College of Agriculture Engineering, Tavanur.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Botany, MES Ponnani College, Ponnani, Malappuram–Dist., Kerala, 679 586, India

    P. V. Jyothi

  2. School of Ocean Science and Technology, Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies, Panangad (P.O), Kochi, India

    S. Sureshkumar

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  1. P. V. Jyothi
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  2. S. Sureshkumar
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Correspondence to S. Sureshkumar.

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Jyothi, P.V., Sureshkumar, S. Patterns of Vegetation Dynamics across Mild Disturbance Gradient in a Freshwater Wetland System in Southern India. Wetlands 38, 807–817 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13157-018-1031-8

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