Arthropods (Jun 2013)
Biodiversity of cultivable molluscan resources from Pulicat Lake, southeast coast of India
Abstract
The molluscs constitute a natural resource of sizable magnitude in parts of the world. The range of their distribution is extensive in space as in time for it covers terrestrial, marine and freshwater habitats In Bar mouth, the Shannon-Wiener diversity index ranged from 2.15 to 2.45 showing minimum during October and maximum during May. The Shannon-Wiener index in Karimanal ranged from 2.26 to 2.40 showing minimum during October and maximum during May. The Shannon-Wiener index in Pulicat town ranged from 2.25 to 2.39 showing minimum during October and maximum during September. Among the study areas, Bar mouth showed maximum diversity in Pulicat lake. Now there was no active culture practiced in lake as far as the Molluscan culture is concern, apart from commercial liming. More studies are needed for conservation and management of this valuable resource. If this ancient heritage of the Pulicat wetland has to be preserved for posterity and its rich biodiversity conserved, this Pulicat Lake must be recognized as a 'Ramsar Site', for international protection, as early as possible. Early detection and rapid response of habitat loss and alteration could prevent the loss of biodiversity.
