Characterising the Causal Mechanism of the Recent Marine Bivalve Diversity Along the Indian Coast

Prasanjit, Suraj Ranjan (2013) Characterising the Causal Mechanism of the Recent Marine Bivalve Diversity Along the Indian Coast. Masters thesis, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata.

PDF (MS Dissertation of Suraj Ranjan Prasanjit (08MS31)) S.R._Prasanjit-08MS31-MSThesis.pdf - Submitted Version Restricted to Repository staff only Download (655kB)

Abstract

The diversity pattern that we get from our studies shows that there is a great evidence of latitudinal diversity gradient along both the east and the west coast of India. However there are lot of local environmental parameters affecting the diversity gradient at lower latitudes. The intervention of local parameters is more at the east coast than the west coast. In the East coast of India majority of the bivalves present are mainly from the southern India i.e. the Gulf of Mannar region. Because of which there is a sudden decrease of diversity of bivalves as we move up and then there is a continuous increase till the Ganga-Brahmaputra delta. One of the major reasons for this type of trend is the geography of the coast. In the west coast of India there is a clear cut evidence of increase in bivalve diversity with an increase in latitude. However at the lowest latitudinal band we find a bit of deviation and the diversity at the lowest latitude is higher than the penultimate one. Moreover from our test that latitudinal range is the only criteria for getting the latitudinal diversity gradient has been proved wrong from the data of mean latitudinal range. Thus Rapoport‟s rule stands invalid in Indian coastal waters. Thus this in turn enables us to look into the case for environmental parameters. Hence we have more or less justified our predictions that the geographic range is unlikely to be affected only by the latitude and many hidden parameters control the bivalve diversity.

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