Nutrients and isotopic composition in Rhizophoraceae mangroves of Kochi, South west coast of India

By : Nebula Murukesh , Chandramohanakumar N

Page No: 331-344

Abstract
The present study investigates the macronutrient and micronutrient elemental composition and isotopic composition in five Rhizophoraceae mangroves plants widely distributed along Kerala coast in order to verify the response and variations in these plants towards different nutrient elements and classify them accordingly. The lower C/N values of the leaves suggest that the leaves have high nutrient quality than bark. Bruguiera showing highest values of Na/K can be thus concluded to be the plants with least salt excluding capacity. The iron rich mangrove plant was found to be B. gymnorhiza. Zinc content was found to be highest in K. candel. Amount of Pb in all the leaf and bark samples under study in this research were found to be below the recommended levels while cadmium was found to be accumulated in the leaves and bark of R. apiculata as well as in the leaves of B. cylindrica and K. candel. The stable carbon isotope composition of leaves of the Rhizophoraceae mangrove under the present investigation matches well with the already established values of ?13C for C3 plants and the present nitrogen stable isotope results fall within the range of plants that obtain inorganic nitrogen directly from seawater.

Authors :
Nebula Murukesh : Assistant Professor, St. Francis de Sales College, Bangalore-100
Chandramohanakumar N. : Inter University Center for Marine Biotechnology, School of Marine Sciences, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Fine Arts Avenue, Kochi -16
 

DOI: https://doi.org/10.32381/JPSR.2021.37.02.16