**Author details**

intertidal rocks and coralline stones as suitable substratum [10]. Other species from the same genus have been reported from reef front zones of shelf-edge atolls of northwestern Australia [29]. Occurrence of this species is reported from the rocky substratum at the intertidal sam-

*Valoniopsis pachynema* is another Valoniaceae family member which forms stiff cushions or spongy mats on intertidal rocks of coralline origin [10]. This is a common tropical sea species and prefers hard substratum like intertidal rocks and dead corals. It forms green, hairy clumps and appears as turfs in littoral zones dominated by high wave actions. In our study site, this species was found in the backreef zone I, on the dead reef substrate in association

This study has identified four Chlorophyta species: *Caulerpa sertularioides*, *Halimeda tuna*, *Valonia aegagropila* and *Valoniopsis pachynema,* exclusive to the backreef zone I of Bet Shankhodhar Reef. *H. tuna* generally occurs in the sub-littoral zone and the infra-littoral fringe while rest of the Chlorophyta species occurs in the mid-littoral zone. Two of the species, *C. sertularioides* and *V. aegagropila,* prefer shallow tidal pools as their microhabitat within the backreef zone. All the four species grow on intertidal rocks having a calcareous or coralline origin. However, *C. sertularioides* prefers a thin veneer of fine sediments on the intertidal rocks as a suitable substrate to settle and grow. Thus, *C. sertularioides* prefers soft sediment substratum as compared to other three species. Since *Halimeda* and *Caulerpa* genera are well-known primary producers in backreef habitats, presence of these four species indicates backreef zone or environment for the Bet Shankhodhar Reef. Presence of chlorophyll *a* and chlorophyll *b* as the main accessory pigment in these species restricts the distribution of these sub- and mid-littoral species to relatively shallow depths of the reef with strong sunlight as compared to other reef algae

The authors are thankful to Director, Space Applications Centre (SAC), Indian Space Research Organisation, Ahmedabad, for his encouragement and support towards coral reef-targeted research programmes. Authors thank Dr. Rajkumar Sharma, Deputy Director, EPSA/SAC, and Dr. Bimal K. Bhattacharya, Division Head, Agriculture and Land-Ecosystems Division,

Authors are thankful to Shri R.D. Kamboj, Chief Conservator Officer, Marine National Park (MNP), Jamnagar; Shri P.T. Sihani, forest range officer, MNP, Dwarka; and Shri Kamlesh Chudasma, forest guard, MNP, Dwarka, for necessary permission and support towards carrying out the field surveys at Bet Shankhodhar Reef. Dimpal Sanghvi is thankful to

Chhaganbhai, forest staff, MNP, Dwarka, for his valuable support in the field work.

for their constant encouragement and support to prepare this manuscript.

pling sites of Uran coast of Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India [30].

54 Wetlands Management - Assessing Risk and Sustainable Solutions

with invasive zootaxa: Z*oanthus* (**Figure 5**: Plate B: 2A and 2B).

**5. Conclusions**

belonging to other pigment groups.

**Acknowledgements**

Nandini Ray Chaudhury1 \*, Dimpal Sanghvi2 and Bhanukumar Jain2

\*Address all correspondence to: nandinirc@sac.isro.gov.in

