Marine Biodiversity
Gujarat’s coastal systems and islands provide unique and favorable ecosystems and marine resources required for supporting diverse species of flora and fauna.
The Gulf of Kachchh is especially rich in marine biodiversity due to availability of diverse habitats viz. coral reefs, mangrove forests, sandy beaches, mudflats, creeks, rocky coast, seagrass beds, etc. This diversity of habitats caters to the needs of thousands of flora and fauna species and provides them with suitable shelter. Marine National Park and islands located along Gulf of Kachchh are particularly known for hosting a variety of marine biodiversity which attracts people from all kinds of backgrounds including tourists, students, academicians, researchers and nature lovers in particular.
- Flora Diversity: In marine ecosystem, phytoplankton, algae, sea grasses and mangroves and their associates are the primary vegetation on terrestrial ecosystem. The micro vegetation and phytoplanktons are majorly concentrated in open waters whereas marine algae dominate the intertidal areas. The areas near the high tide are observed to bear the growth of mangroves. The floral diversity and vegetation is crucial in supporting the sensitive ecosystem of the region which also provides shelter to many of the marine life.
- Fauna Diversity: The marine environment holds a variety of fauna ranging from microscopic size of zooplankton to gigantic whales. These fauna species form an integral part of the marine realm and have adapted to the continuously changing environment particularly giving rise to stratified distribution ranging from spray zone to bathyal depths (i.e. fauna species capable of withstanding dryness for longer duration, aggregate near high tide line and other areas near low tide line.
