Effects of cyclone Fani on the copepod community of the Ganges River estuary of India

Cyclone Amphan effects on the copepods of Ganges estuary

“…After TC Fani disrupted Muriganga omnivorous copepods started the recolonization process within a few days and were later joined by herbivorous and nally by carnivorous copepods (Paul et al 2020b). In the Chilika lagoon After TC Hudhud, nauplii and copepodites stages were dominant as the phytoplankton density of the lagoon increased in response to the upsurge in the nutrient level of the habitat (Srichandan et al 2021).…”

“…Shortly after Amphan, Muriganga turned to a warm, polyhaline and alkaline (pH > 8) habitat and such a condition lasted for a few weeks; however, that is not unusual for Muriganga specially in late PRM to early MON because evaporation rates remain high in that period due to high ambient temperature (Mukhopadhyay et al 2006). Muriganga may remain saline even after receiving post-TC rains for a few days because salinity of Muriganga is dependent more on tidal in ow of marine waters of adjacent BoB than on precipitation (Choudhury et al 2015;Das et al 2016;Paul et al 2020b). During and even after a few days of a TC, strong onshore winds enhance the landward saltwater intrusion (Michener et al 1997).…”

“…Even after that studies from India, South Africa, Taiwan and China have provided perspectives of ecological changes of lagoons and river-estuaries following TCs (Forbes and Cyrus 1992;Mukherjee et al 2012;Beyrend-Dur et al 2013;Bhattacharya et al 2014;Kumar et al 2017;Paul et al 2020a,b). Those studies suggest that mechanical disruption brings structural and functional changes of an estuary after it is hit by a TC or successive TCs (Mukherjee et al 2012;Bhattacharya et al 2014;Kumar et al 2017;Paul et al 2020b).…”

“…Intensity of cyclones is increasing in Indian Sundarbans; therefore, prolong disruptions of estuarine food web is likely in future (Bhattacharya et al 2014;Mandal and Hosaka 2020;Paul et al 2020b). 'Cyclone Ecology (CE)' research program for Indian estuaries was established by the authors in May 2019.…”

“…Previous studies conducted under the CE program after TC Fani and TC Bulbul suggested that distance to the landfall site has a close relation to time which copepods take to rebuild their community structure that used to prevail before the cyclonic disruption of Muriganga (Paul et al 2020a,b). It was also suggested that shortly after a TC small size omnivore copepods lead in the recovery process of the community (Paul et al 2020b). Muriganga is facing periodic TCs only in space of a few months (Paul et al 2020a); however, all the cyclone studies conducted on Muriganga so far are essentially short-term (i.e.…”