A Study on the Seasonal Variability of PH, D.O, Salinity and Nutrients of the Gauthami Godavari Estuary, East Coast of India

Abstract

Estuaries serve as a zone of transition where some continental material is moved to the open sea and where it is trapped. A complex interplay of physical and geochemical processes determines the chemical composition and variability of suspended particulate matter (SPM) in estuaries. Throughout the research region, temperature and pH exhibited an increasing tendency from post-monsoon (winter) to pre-monsoon (summer) in line with variations in air temperature. In every site, dissolved oxygen (D.O.) showed an increasing tendency from the pre-monsoon (summer) to the post-monsoon (winter). This is explained by the interaction of increased photosynthetic activity in the post-monsoon season and winter cold.