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Nutrient stoichiometry and eutrophication in Indian mangroves

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Abstract

Stoichiometry of dissolved nutrients in five important mangrove ecosystems of India (Sundarban, Bhitarkanika, Coringa, Pichavaram and Mangalavanam) was analyzed to describe the ecological and nutrient status of the inter-tidal mangroves in response to increasing human perturbations. The stoichiometric proportions of dissolved nutrients in mangroves highly deviated from the standard Redfield ratio (Si:N:P = 16:16:1), primarily because of the allochthonous nutrients derived from anthropogenic activities. In all mangroves, Si:N ratios were >1, which indicates that high silica is supplied from the terrestrial weathering to mangrove waters. Despite high phosphate loadings along with nitrogen from both point and non-point sources to mangrove waters, N:P ratios (Sundarban 11.43; Bhitarkanika 6.48; Coringa, 5.46; Pichavaram, 7.31 and Mangalavanam 4.64) demonstrate that phosphorus was a limiting nutrient in all mangrove ecosystems. The long-term nutrient analysis in Pichavaram mangrove water explains that the significant increase in dissolved nutrients since the 1980s is mainly derived from non-point sources (e.g., agriculture, aquaculture, etc.) that alter biogeochemical processes in this ecosystem. This study clearly reports that the ecological status of the Indian sub-continent mangroves is highly disturbed by anthropogenic impacts. Therefore, an appraisal of the nutrient ratios and sufficiency in mangroves facilitated an understanding of the current environmental conditions of coastal ecosystems, which further led to the proposal of the long-term observational research coupled with modeling to develop sustainable management strategies for conservation and restoration of mangroves.

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Acknowledgments

The author thanks all researchers who had collected nutrient data from mangrove ecosystems, which are entirely responsible for any value this research may hold, and Prof. AL. Ramanathan (School of Environmental Science, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India) for introducing me to the mangrove biogeochemistry research and for his continuous support in my career. This research was funded by the Asia-Pacific Network for Global Change Research, Japan (Research Grant No. ARCP2011-17NMY-Mathukumalli). Finally, an anonymous reviewer and the Editor-in-Chief are thanked for their thoughtful reviews and comments, which substantially improved an earlier version of this manuscript.

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  1. Earth System Sciences Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20740-3823, USA

    M. Bala Krishna Prasad

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Bala Krishna Prasad, M. Nutrient stoichiometry and eutrophication in Indian mangroves. Environ Earth Sci 67, 293–299 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-011-1508-8

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