Godavari–Krishna mangroves

Mangrove ecoregion of India's eastern coast

Godavari–Krishna mangroves

Krishna River Delta (lower left) and Godavari River delta (upper right) imagery showing the green mangrove region.

Ecology
Biome| Mangrove
Geography
Area| 7,000 km2 (2,700 sq mi)
Country| India
Mangroves in Krishna Delta region Excoecaria agallocha trees at Krishna Delta

The Godavari–Krishna mangroves are a mangrove ecoregion of India's eastern coast.

## Location and description[edit]

The ecoregion covers an area of 7,000 square kilometers (2,700 sq mi), in discontinuous enclaves extending from the state of Odisha in the north to Tamil Nadu in the south. The largest mangrove community in the ecoregion lies in the delta of the Godavari and Krishna rivers in Andhra Pradesh; other mangrove communities can be found at Point Calimere in Tamil Nadu, Pulicat Lake in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, the Bhitarkanika Mangroves and Chilika Lake in Odisha, and the Pichavaram mangroves in Tamil Nadu. [1]

## Flora[edit]

The predominant mangroves are all of the species include Avicennia marina, Suaeda spp., Rhizophora spp., and Bruguiera spp. These have a thick canopy and an undergrowth of climbing plants and shrubs.

## Fauna[edit]

Mangroves are an important coastal habitat for much wildlife such as the saltwater crocodiles who shelter among the roots and feed of the fish and other seafood in this warm mixture of fresh and seawater. These mangroves are home to many insects, molluscs, shrimp, crabs and fish as well as 140 bird species, including the threatened lesser florican (Eupodotis indica), best known for the male birds' leaping breeding displays, and large communities of aquatic birds such as egrets, flamingoes (Phoenicoptreus spp.), spot-billed pelicans (Pelecanus philippensis), Eurasian spoonbills (Platalea leucorodia), and painted storks (Mycteria leucocephala).

## Threats and preservation[edit]

Mangroves are vulnerable to coastal development including prawn farming, other agriculture that diverts fresh water from reaching the coast and seaside urbanisation. Most mangroves on the east coast of India have been cleared and while 14% of the ecoregion is under protection in Point Calimere Wildlife and Bird Sanctuary, Pulicat Lake Bird Sanctuary and the Bhitarkanika National Park even those areas are not secure.

## References[edit]

1. ^ Godavari-Krishna mangroves. World Wildlife Fund.

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Ecoregions of India

Tropical and
subtropical
Forests|

| Moist
broadleaf|

* Andaman Islands rain forests
* Brahmaputra Valley semi-evergreen forests
* Eastern highlands moist deciduous forests
* Himalayan subtropical broadleaf forests
* Lower Gangetic Plains moist deciduous forests
* Malabar Coast moist forests
* Maldives–Lakshadweep–Chagos Archipelago tropical moist forests
* Meghalaya subtropical forests
* Mizoram–Manipur–Kachin rain forests
* Nicobar Islands rain forests
* North Western Ghats moist deciduous forests
* North Western Ghats montane rain forests
* Odisha semi-evergreen forests
* South Western Ghats moist deciduous forests
* South Western Ghats montane rain forests
* Sundarbans freshwater swamp forests
* Upper Gangetic Plains moist deciduous forests

|

Dry
broadleaf|

* Central Deccan Plateau dry deciduous forests
* Chota Nagpur dry deciduous forests
* East Deccan dry evergreen forests
* Khathiar–Gir dry deciduous forests
* Narmada Valley dry deciduous forests
* Northern dry deciduous forests
* South Deccan Plateau dry deciduous forests

Coniferous|

* Himalayan subtropical pine forests
* Northeast India–Myanmar pine forests

Temperate
Forests|

| Himalayan Broadleaf|

* Eastern
* Western

|

Himalayan Subalpine conifer|

* Eastern
* Western

Grasslands,
Shrublands,
and
Savannas|

| Tropical and subtropical|

* Terai–Duar savanna and grasslands

|

Montane|

| Tibetan Plateau Alpine Steppe|

* Central
* Karakoram-West

|

Himalayan Alpine shrub and Meadows|

* Eastern
* Northwestern
* Western

Flooded|

* Rann of Kutch seasonal salt marsh

Deserts and Xeric|

* Deccan thorn scrub forests
* Northwestern thorn scrub forests
* Thar desert

Mangrove|

* Godavari–Krishna mangroves
* Indus River Delta–Arabian Sea mangroves
* Sundarbans mangroves

Ecoregions of India
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