Chilika Lake – An Abode for Seagrass

In News

• 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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