Vol. 4, Issue 10, Part B (2018)

Abstract
An attempt was made to study anthropogenic and climatic changes to meiofaunal communities in Chettuva mangrove with reference to hydrological parameters. Monthly sampling was done in two stations (station I- non polluted, station II- polluted) for a period of seven months from January 2015 to July 2016. Meiofauna in the Chettuva mangrove was represented by six taxa in varying proportions. Nematodes, poly chaetes, copepods were the most abundant groups. Nematode alone contributed more than 40% of total meiofauna and represent high abundance during all seasons and all stations. All the meiofaunal groups exhibited seasonality in their abundance with relatively high density during the pre-monsoon season. Maximum diversity and species richness was recorded during pre-monsoon and minimum during monsoon. Hydrological parameters also show seasonal variation. In the present study maximum meiofaunal density was recorded in station two this might be due to high organic carbon induced by pollution.