Processes and factors regulating the growth of an intertidal mudflat within a middle estuarine region of Zuari tropical estuary, west coast of India

Abstract

Mudflats and associated mangroves conjecture the tropical estuarine ecosystems, which support a diversity of fauna and flora. Besides, mudflats aid in preventing coastal erosion, and mangroves preserving the environmental balance. Sediment cores (six numbers) were collected from an intertidal mudflat from the middle region of Zuari estuary and investigated at 2-cm interval for its sediment components, organic carbon, pH and selected metals (two cores), to decipher the source, processes, depositional environment and factors regulating the growth of a mudflat. The ratio of sand-silt-clay and organic carbon content bares higher proportion of mud and organic matter deposition in the recent years that facilitate the growth of mangroves. Additionally, the sediment grain size varied from muddy sand to mud class from the downstream to the upstream of the mudflat, respectively. This observation advocates that the hydrodynamic conditions and anthropogenic activities are potential in the development of intertidal mudflats in this tropical estuary.