First report on the distribution of Aegiceras corniculatum (L.) Blanco (Primulaceae) from the Nicobar archipelago, India
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1590/Keywords:
2004 Tsunami, Coastal Subsidence, Mangrove colonization, New intertidal habitats, Southeast AsiaAbstract
The 2004 Sumatra-Andaman earthquake (9.3 Mw) and subsequent tsunami caused upliftment and subsidence
throughout the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago. This incident has significantly impacted the mangroves (97%
vegetation loss) and coastal ecosystems of the Nicobar archipelago. Interestingly, the coastal subsidence has
also created new intertidal habitats in the erstwhile agricultural lands and terrestrial forests, which provided an
opportunity for the colonization of mangrove species. During our long-term monitoring of mangrove colonization
in the Nicobar archipelago, we collected Aegiceras corniculatum (L.) Blanco (Primulaceae) from Alreak,
in Nicobar Islands. The occurrence of this species forms a new distributional record for the Nicobar archipelago.
The present article provides detailed information on its taxonomy, ecology, and discusses the potential future
spread of this species in the Nicobar Islands.
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