Biodiversity from Mangroves of Uran Coast, Navi Mumbai, India: Species Diversity, Density, Biomass, Diversity Indices

Mangrove forests are among the world?s most productive ecosystems and cover an area of about 18 X 106 hectares. They are the only forests situated at the confluence of land and sea in tropical and subtropical latitudes. With continuing degradation and destruction of mangroves, there is a critical need to understand the biodiversity of the mangrove ecosystems. Presence of 15 species of flora, 86 species of macrobenthos, 31 species of fishes, 56 species of birds and 3 species of mammals focus light on varied diversity and resourcefulness of the mangroves ecosystem of Uran. Population density and biomass of selected macrobenthos in mangroves of Uran is high during pre-monsoon and post-monsoon than the monsoon. Data on various diversity indices are in agreement with each other. In coming few years, area around Uran coast will be dominated by intense industrialization and urbanization. In such circumstances, pollution of Uran coast cannot be ignored. Data of present analysis should be useful to postgraduate students and researchers of Botany & Zoology.