Book Description

We are delighted to bring out this book on floristic studies on Sriharikota ,venadu ,Irkam and Pernadu islands of Pulicat Lake. This book represents the status of this wetland ecosystem. It is evident that the lake had experienced three different major changes in the recent and past with the human intervention. One change being the starting of hupulipalem the one of the outlet of Pulicat Lake. Another change being the encroachment of the Lake by people of the region and converting them in to fishponds. Third importantecological change is siltation in Thupulipalem, Vakadu mandal. Wetland ecosystems are natural resources of local regional and global significance. Wet land protection has become a high priority worldwide. Supported by international agreements such as Ramsar Convention and the international convention of Biological diversity. Wet land ecosystems have been identified that may even outweigh biodiversity in terms of their importance for human welfare and sustainable natural resource management. Wet lands as transitional zones between land and water; provide a natural protection against extreme floods and storms. India is one amongst 12 mega biodiversity countries of the world. India which is the 7th largest country in area and 2nd largest populated country. Wet lands are one of the natural resources and are the most threatened of all the natural resources. A wide variety of wetland likes marshes,swamps,open water bodies, saline marshy swamps, and tidal flats etc exist in Nellore. The total area of the district is 13076Sq.km.The total wetland area is 2154 Sq.km. Pulicat Lake is the second largest brackish water lagoon after Chilika Lake of Orissa along the east coast of India. Estuaries and lagoons have brackish water which shows high biological productivity than fresh or sea water. Hence it has wide range of aquatic, terrestrial flora and fauna. The World Wide Fund for Nature declared it as a protected area. Present study aims to explore the phytodiversity conservation of Pulicat Lake. T h i s b o o k p r e s e n t s i n f o r m a t i o n o n t h e , P h y t o d i v e r s i t y o f Sriharikota,Venadu,Irkam and Pernadu islands of Pulicat Lake.It also depicts the information on the status of the Phytodiversity,wet land plants, and the need for conservation of the lake. The Authors gratefully acknowledge the support rendered by Prof. V. Veeraiah, Vice-chancellor, Vikrama Simhapuri University, Nellore and Prof.P.R.Siva Sankar,former Registrar, Vikrama Simhapuri University, Prof.P. Venkatarao, Special officer,P.G Centre,Kavali Prof.N. Savithramma, Department of Botany, S.V.Univeristy. Tirupati.Dr. Khasim S.Mohammad, Department of Botany, Acharya Nagarjuna University, Guntur. They also thank Sri N.Ram Kumar Reddy, Correspondent, NBKR Science and Arts College, Vidya Nagar,Nellore district.Sri.Rama Krishna Reddy ,Sri A.Krisnamohan, Principal ,Dr.V.Raja,Coordinator, UGC,,NBKR Science and Arts College for their assistance.The authors also express their deep sense of gratitude to Sara Publications,Ahmedabad for shaping this book.