Journal of the Marine Biological Association of India

Ecology and production of intertidal macrofauna during monsoon in a sandy beach at Calanguta, Goa.

Volume 15 Issue 1

S.N. Dwivedi, S. Ayyappan Nair and A. Rahim

Abstract

Observations were made on a sandy beach at Calangute Goa, during the monsoon months of 1971. Prevailing unstable conditions caused dynamic changes in the beach ecology. The average spread of the intertidal region was 19 m with a gradient of 1 in 10. The sand was predominantly coarse and the diameter of particle size varied between 450 and 900 µ, Organic carbon in the sand ranged from 38 to 732 /tµ/gm. The temperature regime of the sea water and interstitial water was 23.9 to 25.9° C, whereas on the sand surface, values upto 32.5°C were observed. , Salinity of the surface sea water varied from 22.05 to 34.56 % (:. The average biomass during the period was 11.86 g/m'. Polychaetes, mainly, Pisionidens indica occurred at mid and low tide levels. Pelycypods Donax incarnatus, Domx apperitus, and mole crab Emerita holthuisi accompanied by ampbipods and isopods were abundant in the wash zone.

Date : 31-08-1973