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This story is from February 28, 2012
PUNE: An ongoing study being carried out by the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) western regional centre, Pune, has identified 1,527 different species of marine fauna in the state.
The study, ‘Marine faunal diversity in Maharashtra’, lists molluscs (marine invertebrates), with 581 species (38%), as the dominant group, followed by crustaceans (crabs, shrimps, lobsters, barnacles) with 367 species (24%), fishes with 287 species (19%), and annelids (sea worms) with 141 species (9%).
The areas under research are the six coastal districts of Mumbai, Mumbai suburban, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, Raigad and Thane.
In all, the ZSI has recorded 12,794 marine faunal species in India. The study also warns that marine life is facing various threats, particularly man-made ones, including sedimentation from developmental human activity, eutrophication of marine waters, physical impact of marine activity like dredging, introduction of invasive species, destructive fishing activities and pollution from industries and oil refineries.
R M Sharma, scientist and deputy director of ZSI Pune, told TOI that these anthropogenic pressures on marine biodiversity should be controlled before they change the ecosystem forever. Most human disturbances are seen in the coastal districts of Mumbai, Raigad and Ratnagiri, he said.
Pointing out that there has been a reduction of nearly 40% of the mangrove cover of the state in less than three decades, Sameer Kumar Pati, researcher in marine diversity ZSI, said that mangroves are an important habitat in providing food, shelter and nursery areas for fish, crustaceans and other marine life. He said that mangrove reduction was particularly apparent in Mumbai and its suburbs.
"Unfortunately, the mangrove habitats are converted into saltpans, aquaculture sites, agriculture plots and residential or industrial plots and this makes the area prone to moth infestation, wood borer attacks, grazing of animals, dumping of non-biodegradable solid wastes, water contaminants and pollution,'' he said.
The findings of the study indicate that only the protected area of the Maharashtra Malvan Marine Sanctuary in Sindhudurg district sustains coral patches.
Among the threatened marine animals of Maharashtra is the blue whale, which is on the endangered list of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Other threatened marine species include the fin whale, dugong, finless porpoise, Bombay sea snake, lichen coral and brain coral.
Pati stressed that the study concentrated on major groups like molluscs, crustaceans, fish and annelids, which together constitute 90% of the faunal diversity. "Poorly studied groups, particularly the minor groups, require urgent attention. The data collected for this study is miniscule. There is a need to study minor groups to learn their classification because these groups are likely to add more species to faunal diversity,'' he said.
Sharma said that though there have been several studies conducted on marine diversity in Maharashtra, the need was felt to evaluate the marine faunal diversity, since most of the habitats remained unexplored or scanty. The ZSI study is part of ongoing research carried out by ZSI since its inception in 1959.
The study findings show that Maharashtra shares 11.94% of Indian marine faunal diversity. The other species recorded are cnidaria (aquatic animals like jellyfish, corals, sea anemones, and hydras) with 64 species (4%) and groups like bryozoa or moss animals, protochordata, reptiles and mammals contribute only about 1% each of the total faunal diversity.
The study, ‘Marine faunal diversity in Maharashtra’, lists molluscs (marine invertebrates), with 581 species (38%), as the dominant group, followed by crustaceans (crabs, shrimps, lobsters, barnacles) with 367 species (24%), fishes with 287 species (19%), and annelids (sea worms) with 141 species (9%).
The areas under research are the six coastal districts of Mumbai, Mumbai suburban, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, Raigad and Thane.
In all, the ZSI has recorded 12,794 marine faunal species in India. The study also warns that marine life is facing various threats, particularly man-made ones, including sedimentation from developmental human activity, eutrophication of marine waters, physical impact of marine activity like dredging, introduction of invasive species, destructive fishing activities and pollution from industries and oil refineries.
R M Sharma, scientist and deputy director of ZSI Pune, told TOI that these anthropogenic pressures on marine biodiversity should be controlled before they change the ecosystem forever. Most human disturbances are seen in the coastal districts of Mumbai, Raigad and Ratnagiri, he said.
Pointing out that there has been a reduction of nearly 40% of the mangrove cover of the state in less than three decades, Sameer Kumar Pati, researcher in marine diversity ZSI, said that mangroves are an important habitat in providing food, shelter and nursery areas for fish, crustaceans and other marine life. He said that mangrove reduction was particularly apparent in Mumbai and its suburbs.
"Unfortunately, the mangrove habitats are converted into saltpans, aquaculture sites, agriculture plots and residential or industrial plots and this makes the area prone to moth infestation, wood borer attacks, grazing of animals, dumping of non-biodegradable solid wastes, water contaminants and pollution,'' he said.
The findings of the study indicate that only the protected area of the Maharashtra Malvan Marine Sanctuary in Sindhudurg district sustains coral patches.
Among the threatened marine animals of Maharashtra is the blue whale, which is on the endangered list of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Other threatened marine species include the fin whale, dugong, finless porpoise, Bombay sea snake, lichen coral and brain coral.
Pati stressed that the study concentrated on major groups like molluscs, crustaceans, fish and annelids, which together constitute 90% of the faunal diversity. "Poorly studied groups, particularly the minor groups, require urgent attention. The data collected for this study is miniscule. There is a need to study minor groups to learn their classification because these groups are likely to add more species to faunal diversity,'' he said.
Sharma said that though there have been several studies conducted on marine diversity in Maharashtra, the need was felt to evaluate the marine faunal diversity, since most of the habitats remained unexplored or scanty. The ZSI study is part of ongoing research carried out by ZSI since its inception in 1959.
The study findings show that Maharashtra shares 11.94% of Indian marine faunal diversity. The other species recorded are cnidaria (aquatic animals like jellyfish, corals, sea anemones, and hydras) with 64 species (4%) and groups like bryozoa or moss animals, protochordata, reptiles and mammals contribute only about 1% each of the total faunal diversity.
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