Aquatic Flora of Pulicat Lake Essay Example for Free

Aquatic Flora of Pulicat Lake Essay Pulicat lake derived its name from a vernacular name ‘Palaverkadu’ means plants with many number of roots. Those plants are mangroves with aerial roots called Pneumatophores. The word mangrove is considered to be a combination of the Portuguese word â€Å"Mangue† and English Word â€Å"Grove†. These are salt tolerant plants and are rich in this area and might be the reason for that name. The lake harbours rich and valued floristic wealth because of its varied ecological habitat viz., salt marshes, canals, mangroves, islands, low lying areas etc. A careful study of literature revealed that the lake has hardly received attention by the botanical explorers and hence it has remained botanically under-explored so far. But its fauna was extensively studied by many zoologists Nanda Kumar et.al . A.R.KSastry and T.A. Rao (1973) in their extensive study on the flora and vegetation of Coastal Andhra Pradesh, have recorded about 15 species from the island of the lake. Pulicat lake derived its name from a vernacular name ‘Palaverkadu’ means plants with many number of roots. The lagoon’s boundary limits range between 13.33 ° to 13.66 ° N and 80.23 ° to 80.25 °E, with a dried part of the lagoon extending up to 14.0 °N.; with about 84% of the lagoon in Andhra Pradesh and 16% in Tamil Nadu. The large spindle-shaped barrier island named Sriharikota separates the lake from the Bay of Bengal. Area Three major Rivers which feed the lagoon are Arani river, Kalangi river and Swarmukhi river. The Buckingham Canal, a navigation Channel is part of the lagoon on its western side. It is connected to the sea through three tidal inlets, one each at Tupilipalem, Rayadoruvu and Pulilcat villages respectively, from north to south. Study was undertaken in the Pulicat lake and data of aquatic flora collected by frequent visits during 2009-2010. Close up Photographs of as many as possible and associations depicting the richness of the macrophytes of the lake were taken. Herbaria of various aquatic plants also collected for future reference. Herbaria-specimens are preserved at N.B.K.R. Medicinal Plant Research Centre, Vidyanagar, Nellore District. Results and Discussions Brackish water is more saltier than fresh water and less saltier than sea water. Hence it is biologically more productive than either freshwater or sea water. It shows very rich aquatic population diversity including free floating, submerged, suspended, marginal, amphibious plants along with halophytes and mangroves. Region of pulicat lake includes salt marshes, canals and mangroves. Salt marshes often inundated by backwaters are mostly occupied by halophytes. They include Aleuropous lagopoides, Etriplex repens, Cressa cretica, Crotalaria retusa, Cyparus haspan, Fimbristylils ferrugenea, Salilchornia brachiata , Sesuvium portulacastrum Etc. Similar halophytic species scattered along the banks of Buckingham canal and Vapenjeri canal flowing with brackish water. Halophila ovalis popularly called sea grass belong to the family Hydrochariticeae appear prominently all along the margins Buckingham canal. Small mangrove pockets are located at two places namely near Vepenjeri canal close to Chandrasikuppam, and near Chengalpalem. Four species of mangroves belonging to four families are prominent over here. They include Aegiceras corniculatus of Myrsiraceae, Avicennia marina of Aviceiniaceae, Excoecaria agallocha of Euphorbiaceae and Lumintzera racemosa of Combretaceae. They develop pneumatophores in response to oxygen deficient conditions Significance of macrophytes to the lake: Macrophytes provide cover for fish and substrate for aquatic invertebrates, produce oxygen and act as food for some fish and wild life. Established mangrove roots provide an oyster habitat and slow water flow, there by enhancing sediment deposition. The fine anoxic sediments under mangroves act as sinks for a variety of heavy (trace) metal with colloidal particles in the sediments scavenged from the water. They protect coastal areas from erosion, storms and tsunamis. Their massive root systems are efficient at dissipating wave energy. Conclusion A decline in the macrophytic population may indicate water quality problem. They may be the result of excessive turbidgidy, pollutants including herbicides or salinization. It may lead to a major socio economic problem. One village in Tamilnadu was protected from tsunami destruction. That village is Naluvedapathy planted 80.244 saplings to get into the Guinness Book of World Records. This created a kilometer wide belt of trees of various varieties. When the tsunami struck, much of the land around the village was flooded but the village escaped form minimal damage. Many conservative methods have to be practiced to protect the macrophytic flora of the lake.

Groundwater and the Hydrologic Cycle Essay -- Geology

Groundwater and the Hydrologic Cycle Introduction Water is the lifeblood of every living creature on earth. Approximately 70 percent of the earth's surface is covered with water. Thought the wonders of nature, water can take on many different forms, form the water we drink, to the ice we use to chill a glass of lemonade, to the water vapor used to steam clean equipment equipment. It is easy to understand the significance water plays in our lives, but it may be much more difficult ot understand the water that exists below the earth's surface, called groundwater. From the time the earth was formed, water have been endlessly circulating. This circulation is known as the hydrologic cycle. Groundwater is part of this continuous cycle as water evaporates, forms clouds and returns to earth as precipitation. The Hydrologic Cycle The hydrologic cycle begins with the water evaporation from the earth's soil, plant and water surfaces to form water vapor. The energy required to evaporate water is supplied by the sun. The vast majority of evaporation occurs from the oceans. It is estimated that 39 inches of water annually evaporate from each acre of ocean. Water vapor is drawn into the atmosphere by temperature gradients and can be transported over hundreds of miles by large air masses. When water vapor cools, it condenses to form clouds. As water condenses within clouds, water droplets increase in size until they fall to the earth's surface as precipitation such as rainfall, hail, sleet or snow. Approximately 70-90 percent of the water that falls to the earth's surface enters the soil. This water can become groundwater but most of it evaporates or is used by vegetation. Water that passes though the root zone ... ...ment levels (Florida Aquifer). Florida's growing population, now fourth in the nation, is placing a heavy demand on the state's water supply. The addition of 6,000 new residents each week has increased the use of water for direct human needs to more than 60 million gallons per day. Florida rainfall averages 54 inches per year, or nearly 150 billion gallons of water a day. Unfortunately, an estimated 110 billion gallons is lost to evaporation and plant life consumption. The southern 50 percent of Florida receives only 44 percent of the state's natural water supply, yet is home to 78 percent of the population and accounts for 75 percent of the state's total water use (Groundwater Withdraw). The largest consumer of water is the agriculture industry, using 42 percent. Homes, offices and hotels consume 11 percent. The rest is consumed by other industries.

Crystal Jelly Fish

Crystal jellyfish The Crystal jelly fish is a very unique marine animal. Known as the crystal jellyfish its scientific name is well known to be the Aquarium Victoria. The Aquaria Victoria is a saucer shaped Hydromedusa with a well developed velum, its size ranges within five to twelve centimeters in diameter. It has eighty or more narrow unbranched radial canals witch can extend to the margin of the bell. All tentacles extend from the margin of the bell, making the slender gonads run along most of the length of the canals.Placed into a single row the tentacles are surrounded to the all around shape of the bell. The Aquaria Victoria is placed in pelagic waters in the Pacific Ocean from Vancouver, British Columbia, and Central California. There living requirements intake open waters and require temperatures between forty degrease Fahrenheit . Many Aquaria Victoria can be found swimming or floating along the shores. The population of the Aquaria Victoria is said to be unknown, because o f there four to six month life span it decreases’ the chances of finding the information.The Aquaria Victoria is budded off into hydroid colonies in the late spring. The Medusa is the first stage of its vast development. When approximately reaching three centimeters it can begin producing gametes of reproduction. The Spermatozoa and egg mature daily in the medusa. When provided much food they are spawned into the water column, settled off to fertilize they are then eventually settling out for a new hydro id colony.When reaching its growth of development to eat it intakes Crustacean, Zoo plankton core pods and crab zoeals. The natural Predators’ of the Aquaria Victoria are Voracious protozoan known as the lion mane jelly. When approached by one or more of there predators they tend to glow only to send out threats to protect themselves. The Aquaria Victoria is capable of its glow due to the (GFP) Green fluorescent protein it produces. The Aquaria Victoria only glows arou nd the margin of the umbrella.The Green Fluorescent protein is a protein that is composed of two hundred and thirty-eight amino acid that exhibits bright green fluorescence when exposed to light in the blue to ultraviolet range. The Green fluorescent proteins function is to become the Energy Transfer acceptor. The Aquaria Victoria flashes the blue light with a quick release of (Ca2+) witch interacts with photo protein acquiring. While it interacts, it is only brought on or let on for a short amount of time. The Aquaria Victoria is not known for harmful relations, it is known to be something unique just as any other marine animal.

Problem Solution Essay

If written clearly and precisely, good problem solution essay can be a very effective method of exposing particular issues. In general, this type of work means choosing some kind of a challenge, analyzing it, and providing various solutions. Problem solution essay can often be used to present one’s original ideas and thoughts on the issue. Constituents of a well-written problem solution essay There are several constituents of a well-written problem solution essay. A good example of the work of this kind should have: an overall demonstration of the previously made research and knowledge of the topic some examples from the real-life situations to support the point the usage of facts and statistics a well-written precise thesis statement an introduction to the problem a discussion of various ways to solve the problem some well-founded arguments proving which solution is better The thesis statement paragraph is a very important part of a problem solution essay due to the fact that it defines the overall topic of the work. This paragraph has to be clearly written and formulated so that it grabs the readers’ attention the moment they start reading the essay. In addition, the thesis statement itself serves as an introduction, hence, it should not be very long, one or two sentences is an optimum choice. In general, the opening paragraph should aim to capture attention, to introduce the problem, to explain how it is affecting the lives of potential readers, and to define the reasons why exactly the discussed problem is important. In a well-written problem solution essay, first of all, the body paragraphs should provide the further logical reasoning. On top of that, they have to widely explore the arguments previously mentioned in the thesis statement paragraph. The other thing body paragraphs in a problem solution essay should mention is what solution is the best possible one in this particular case along with the arguments defending the described point of view. It is also a good idea to explain how the solution can be implemented and to show how these actions resolve the issue. The paragraph containing the conclusion is also an essential part of a good problem solution essay. This paragraph has to restate the thesis and to emphasize the previously described solutions in order to summarize the main points. Because problem solution essays often aim to be a method persuasion, it is also a wise idea to have some kind of a call to action for the readers along with the examples from the real-life situations and facts or statistics to further support the emphasized thoughts. All things considered, a well-written example of a problem solution essay has to demonstrate an overall quality of the previously made research and knowledge of the topic and some examples from real life situations to support the point. It is also crucial that the work has a well-written precise thesis statement. In addition to that, an introduction of the problem, a discussion of various ways to solve the problem, and some well-founded arguments proving which solution is better are necessary to present the point correctly.