| 1 | Mangrove ecology of the Sundarbans delta in West Bengal and its role on the brackishwater fisheries From the tidal Sunderbans about 120 brackishwater Fishes and crustaceans are identified. Seventy halophytic angiosperms are also identified and studied from this Sundarbans tidal forests. These plants and animals association of the mangrove delta provide foods and shelters for euryhaline fishes and crustaceans. For the rapid growth of the mangrove plants, the tidal soil turned fertile by the gradual accumulation of humus matter from the mangrove phytosuccession, Planktonic and benthic forms of both algae and several smaller animalcules are also common in this mangrove environment. The dense growth of petiphytic algae, molluscs and other animalcules on the serial mangrove roots and tree trunks also noted very much productive as providing the food to these economic fishes and crustaceans. Several annelids, insects and other marine forms of crustaceans, crabs and molluscs take shelter permanently in this mangrove forests; while prawns and fishes come in along with the tidal water to graze apparently on the abundant nutrient available in this mangrove ecosystem. For the activity of several soil burrowing organisms the mangrove soil turned porus in nature, which also accelerate the dense growth of the mangrove flors. The soil of the Sundarbans tidal forests is recent in origin and deposited from the alluvium silt particles, carried in by the tidal rivers and creeks. Originally, the mangrove soil is almost devoid of organic carbon and available nitrogen; though sulphur, phosphate and calcium are present appreciably. The silty clay is not at all productive in the initial stages of land formation, but several biological process like the activity of bacteria and algae convert the suitable for the growth of the higher plants. Here, Cyanophyceae appear on the soft hydrophilic and biologically active soil while the Chlorophyceae dominant, on the comparatively more consolidated soil. For this rich food resources and availability of fish and prawn juveniles a large number of brackishwater fisheries have developed in these mangrove delta of the Sundarbans Source: Naskar, K.R. J. Aquat. Organism.. 1(1); 1987; 1-9. 0433.
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