Growth of <i>Rhizophora apiculata </i>in degraded areas of Ariyankuppam estuary <span style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black;mso-ansi-language:EN-IN; mso-fareast-language:EN-IN;mso-bidi-language:HI" lang="EN-IN">along Pondicherry coastline, southeast coast <span style="font-size:14.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-fareast-font-family:HiddenHorzOCR; color:black;mso-ansi-language:EN-IN;mso-fareast-language:EN-IN;mso-bidi-language: HI" lang="EN-IN">of India</span></span>

Abstract

<i>Rhizophora apiculata </i>seedlings, planted artificially in a degraded mangrove area, were studied for growth as well as some physico-chemical parameters of the plantation site, in monthly intervals for two years. The plant growth was at higher rates in the first year of plantation and the growth rates of leaf and stilt roots were more in the following year. Thus the mangrove adapted with the degraded site within a year of transplantation, with an average growth rate of 3.6 cm/month. The plantation coincided with an increased bacterial bad in sediments, without significantly influencing other physico-chemical parameters.