Influence of physicochemical parameters on gastropods diversity along the Saurashtra coast of Gujarat, India

Abstract

The present study was carried out to assess the effects of different physicochemical parameters on the gastropods diversity along Veraval and Sikka coast. The samples were collected using random quadrant method and mean values were taken for estimation of different diversity attributes (density (%), abundance and frequency (%)) of gastropods species. The various physicochemical parameters viz. temperature, pH, salinity and dissolved oxygen were recorded. Correlation of different diversity attributes with physicochemical parameters showed that there exist a negative relationship between diversity attributes with temperature and salinity and positive with pH and dissolved oxygen. The present investigation confirmed that the environmental parameters are marginally important to understand the distribution and abundance of gastropods in the intertidal region of the Veraval and Sikka coast.