International Science Community Association International Research Journal of Environmental Sciences 2319 - 1414 6 8 2017 08 22 Assessment of seasonal changes in water quality adjoining Thekkumbad mangrove – sacred grove ecosystem of Kannur district, Kerala, India 43 47 EN Bharathi Prathibha 1 Department of Zoology and Aquaculture, Acharya Nagarjuna University Nagarjuna Nagar-522 510, India . Chittem 2 Department of Zoology and Aquaculture, Acharya Nagarjuna University Nagarjuna Nagar-522 510, India Kunda Sumanth Kumar 3 Department of Zoology and Aquaculture, Acharya Nagarjuna University Nagarjuna Nagar-522 510, India S. Talba 1 Faculté des Sciences Ben M’Sik, Avenue Cdt Driss El Harti. B.P 7955, Casablanca, Maroc and Institut National de Recherche Halieutique, Route Sidi Abderrahmane, Casablanca, Maroc A. Benhra 2 Institut National de Recherche Halieutique, Route Sidi Abderrahmane, Casablanca, Maroc M. Bouhallaoui 3 Institut National de Recherche Halieutique, Route Sidi Abderrahmane, Casablanca, Maroc F.Z. Bouthir 4 Institut National de Recherche Halieutique, Route Sidi Abderrahmane, Casablanca, Maroc M. Zbiry 5 Faculté des Sciences Ain Chock, Km 8 Route d\'El Jadida, B.P 5366, Casablanca, Maroc S. Oubraim 6 Faculté des Sciences Ben M’Sik, Avenue Cdt Driss El Harti. B.P 7955, Casablanca, Maroc S.A. Mohite 1 Department of Environmental Science, Shivaji University, Kolhapur 416004, MS, India J.S. Samant 2 Development Research, Awareness and Action Institute, (DEVRAAI), Kolhapur 416 013, MS, India Adeniyi Babalola O. 1 Department of Fisheries Technology, Lagos State Polytechnic, Ikorodu, Lagos State, Nigeria Emile Fiogbe D. 2 Laboratory of Research on Wetlands, Department of Zoology University of Abomey Calavi, Benin Republic Dwivedi Sanju 1 Department of Chemistry, S.M.W. College, Lohta, Varanasi, UP, India Pillai Neethu G. 1 Division of Environmental Science, Department of Botany, University of Calicut, Malappuram District– 673 635, Kerala, India C.C. Harilal 2 Division of Environmental Science, Department of Botany, University of Calicut, Malappuram District– 673 635, Kerala, India > Short Communication 2017 6 15 2017 08 22 Thekkumbad Island, falling in Mattool panchayat of Kannur district, is characterized by the presence of a sacred grove - Thazhekkavu, rich in mangrove populations. This sacred grove is characterized by the presence of 11 true mangroves and 6 mangrove associates. The Valapattanam estuary provides tidal waters to these mangrove habitats. The present study attempts to assess the seasonal changes in water quality influencing the growth and establishment of mangrove diversity confining to this sacred grove. Water quality parameters adjoining the mangrove habitats were monitored on a monthly basis for assessing the seasonal changes. The results indicated that there is marked difference in water quality parameters in all the three seasons studied. Variations in salinity related parameters like hardness, calcium, magnesium, sodium and chloride were higher than that of other water quality parameters, which are indicative of the differences in salinity intrusion in these habitats, with respect to seasons. Water quality parameters of Site 1 was found to be highly influenced, which is indicative of their close proximity with the estuarine system. Copyright@ International Science Community Association