Organisation of commercially supporting meroplankton in Palk Bay and Gulf of Mannar biosphere reserve areas, southeast coast of India

211-215The samples were collected along the southeast coast of India at three different stations -st 1 is nearer to Mandapam in Palk Bay, st 2 nearer to Mandapam, the head of Gulf of Mannar and st 3 nearer to Kudankulam, the foot of Gulf of Mannar. The Palk Bay and Gulf of Mannar (near Mandapam) are coral dominated, partially closed shallow seas, harbour rich flora and fauna. Kudankulam is directly exposed to open sea with rocky patches of sandy bottom. The highest species diversity was encountered in st 2 followed by st 3 and st 1 (2.18 > 2.1 > 1.9) indicates the high fertility and optimal environmental conditions of Gulf of Mannar. It was also underscored by high species evenness at st 2 followed st 3 and st 1 (1.5 > 1.4 >1.3). The influence of west coast current, and conglomeration of open ocean species causes the maximum of <span style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%; font-family:" times="" new="" roman";mso-fareast-font-family:hiddenhorzocr;color:black;="" mso-ansi-language:en-in;mso-fareast-language:en-in;mso-bidi-language:hi"="" lang="EN-IN">species <span style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: " times="" new="" roman";mso-fareast-font-family:"times="" roman";color:black;="" mso-ansi-language:en-in;mso-fareast-language:en-in;mso-bidi-language:hi"="" lang="EN-IN">richness at st 3, which is followed by st 2 and st 1 (3.26 >.3.13 > 3.0). Dominance index (79.3 > 74.6 > 71.6) was found maximum at st 2 followed by st 1 and st 3 denote protective nature of coral beds for these young ones at Gulf of Mannar and Palk Bay.