Chilika Lake - An Abode for Seagrass

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Chilika Lake, the largest coastal lagoon in India has 20% of country’s sea grass distribution.
The Chilika development Authority which conducted an annual monitoring of the lake found that over 152 sq. Km of the lake is covered with sea grass.

The Chilika Lake

Spread over 1,100 sq. Km area in the state of Odisha, the Chilika is the largest coastal lagoon in the country and the second largest in the world.
The lake is located at the mouth of Daya River.
It supports diverse species of plants, animals and birds.
It is a designated Ramsar Sites under Ramsar Convention.
The endangered Irrawaddy Dolphins are found in the lake.

The Annual Monitoring Results

During the annual monitoring, the Chilika Development Authority found various species of Seagrass such as Halophila Ovalis, Holodule Pinifolia,Holodule Uninervis, Halophila Beccarii and Halophila Ovata.
It was also found that sponges have made their comeback to the lack which were last seen in 1985.
Overall, the efforts of the authorities has brought resilience to the ecosystem. The authority found 130-150 Irrawaddy Dolphins thriving in the ecosystem.

Importance of Seagrass

In a marine ecosystem, seagrass play a vital role in providing oxygen to the marine species by absorbing carbon dioxide.
They also acts as aquatic purifiers.
In Chilika lake, the growth of seagrass augurs well for reintroduction of dugongs or seacows which once thrived in the lake.

Where Else can Seagrass Be Found in India?

In India, seagrass are found at a shallow depth of 10m due to turbidity of water along the coasts.
Seagrass beds are found all across the Indian coast along with Andaman & Nicobar islands and Lakshadweep Islands.
The largest seagrass bed in the country is in Gulf of Mannar and Palk Bay.
Other important locations are the two island archipelagos.

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Threats to Seagrass

1. Natural Threats:

Cyclones
Waves
Intense grazing
Infestation of fungi
Epiphytes

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2. Anthropogenic Threats:

Deforestation of Mangroves
Construction activity along the coast
Dredging activities
Discharge of effluents
Sediment discharge

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