Abstract
In India, mangroves occupy 6740 km2 of which the Mahanadi delta andBhitarkanika mangrove forests of Orissa cover 191.44 km2, most of whichhas been severely overexploited. World wide concern to conserve mangrovesnecessitated propagation of mangroves to re-establish them on barren andswampy land along tidal creeks around Paradeep port of Orissa. Avicenniaofficinalis, Aegiceras corniculatum, Bruguiera parviflora, B. sexangula,Ceriops decandra, Excoecaria agallocha, Heritiera fomes, Kandelia candel,Rhizophora mucronata, Sonneratia apetala were vegetatively propagated andplanted over 10 ha of degraded salt-marshy wetlands of Mahanadi delta inpure and mixed stands depending on the intensity and the frequency of tidalinundation at the experimental site. Survival was significantly higher(80%) in S. apetala followed by A. officinalis, R. mucronata, K.candel and H. fomes (70–75%). S. apetala recorded the maximumgrowth in height (3.0 m after 2 years) whereas C. decandra showed theminimum growth (0.5 m). Growth performance was better with plants in mixedstands than the plantation with single species. This gives us hope topropagate and re-establish mangroves for conservation in scientificallymanaged plantations in a physiologically arid environment.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Banerjee, L.K. and Rao, T.A. 1990. Mangroves of Orissa Coast and their ecology. Bishen Singh Mohendra Pal Singh, Dehra Dun. 41 pp.
Basak, U.C., Das, A.B. and Das, P. 1995. Metabolic changes during rooting in stem cuttings of five mangrove species. Plant Growth Regulation 17: 141–148.
Bhaskar Rao, V., Narasimha Rao, G.M., Sharma, G.V.S. and Krishna Rao, B. 1992. Mangrove environment and its sediment characters in Godavari estuary, east coast of India. Indian Journal of Marine Sciences 21: 64–66.
Fujimoto, K., Tabuchi, R., Mori, T. and Murofushi, T. 1995. Site environments and stand structure of the mangrove forests on Pohnpei Island, Micronesia. Japan Agricultural Research Quarterly 29: 275–284.
Ghosh, S.K. and Basu, R.N. 1974. Metabolic changes during the regeneration of roots on cuttings. Indian Journal of Experimental Biology 12: 166–168.
Harter, H.L. 1960. Critical values for Duncan's multiple range test. Biometrics 16: 671–685.
Hartmann, H.T. and Kester, D.E. 1989. Plant Propagation, Principle and Practices. New Delhi, Prentice Hall, 199 pp.
Kumar, R. 1995. Mangrove plantations in Goa. Indian Forester 1: 3–8.
Matilal, S. and Mukherjee, M. 1989. Disribution of mangroves in relation to topography and selection of ecotonal ommunities for reclaimed areas of Sunderbans. Indian Journal of Marine Sciences 18: 91–94.
Reddy, K.K., Venkaiah, K. and Bramaramba, B. 1994. Rooting of stem cuttings of Avicennia officinalisLinn. and Avicennia alba Bl.: A tool for afforestation of blanks in mangrove forests. Indian Forester 120: 158–161.
Robertson, A.I., Giddins, R. and Smith, T.J. 1990. Seed predation by insects in tropical mangrove forests: Extent and effects on seed viability and the growth of seedlings. Oecologia 83: 213–219.
Roy, B.N., Basu, R.N. and Bose, T.K. 1972. Interaction of auxins with growth-retarding,-inhibiting and ethylene producing chemicals in rooting of cuttings. Plant Cell Physiology 13: 1123–1127.
Selvam, V., Mohan, R., Ramasubramanian, R. and Azariah, J. 1991. Plant communities and soil properties of three mangrove stands of Madras coast. Indian Journal of Marine Sciences 20: 67–69.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Das, P., Basak, U. & Das, A. Restoration of the mangrove vegetation in the Mahanadi delta, Orissa, India. Mangroves and Salt Marshes 1, 155–161 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1009980023264
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1009980023264