Ecology of the crustacean plankton of the retting zone with special reference to sulphide pollution in a backwater system of Kerala

Abstract

Fluctuation in the abundance of crustaceans, the important component of the plankton community and a major food item of many fishes, has a direct bearing on the fisheries. The Edava-Nadayara-Paravur backwater system, (Kerala, India) with the exception of the retting areas supports a rich fishery. The existence of sulphide system in the retting zone and the seasonal variation in abundance of the crustacean fauna in comparison with the non-retting area are discussed in this paper