Kerala coastal zone supports a variety of habitats, like sandy beaches, spits, mudflats, lateritic and rocky cliffs, lagoons and estuaries, barrier bars, islands and mangrove vegetation. Genetically, there are three broad landform assemblages developed over the Precambrian, Tertiary and Recent sediments. The relatively wide, permeable central Kerala coast, composed of recent sediments, has evolved through a series of geological events during the Holocene. The Vembanad Lake, one of the most conspicuous features in this belt, bears evidence of various land building activities under geo-marine processes, including human intervention in shaping and reshaping the landscape and also lake configuration. The formation of an inland delta is also noted around this lake. Altogether, 20 geomorphic units have been identified under four morphogenetic processes—marine, fluvial, fluvio-marine/estuarine and denudational categories—that are operating in the coastal tract of Kerala. The units of strong relief have developed over Precambrian rocks and also on Tertiary sedimentary formations. Kerala is well known for hosting a variety of ecosystems linked to morphogenetic variations. Examining the state of the ecosystem in six selected coastal segments spreading from the north to the south of the state, characterised by different geomorphic setups, it is found that human interventions have affected the natural habitats in various measures. Urbanisation is one of the major stressors on the natural habitat. There have been several studies examining most of these issues over the last couple of decades. Based on available information and the authors’ own studies, this chapter discusses certain aspects of coastal geomorphology and selected coastal ecosystems that warrant attention for coastal zone management of Kerala.

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Geomorphology and Selected Ecosystems of Kerala Coast: An Overview

  • Srikumar Chattopadhyay,
  • Mahamaya Chattopadhyay

摘要

Kerala coastal zone supports a variety of habitats, like sandy beaches, spits, mudflats, lateritic and rocky cliffs, lagoons and estuaries, barrier bars, islands and mangrove vegetation. Genetically, there are three broad landform assemblages developed over the Precambrian, Tertiary and Recent sediments. The relatively wide, permeable central Kerala coast, composed of recent sediments, has evolved through a series of geological events during the Holocene. The Vembanad Lake, one of the most conspicuous features in this belt, bears evidence of various land building activities under geo-marine processes, including human intervention in shaping and reshaping the landscape and also lake configuration. The formation of an inland delta is also noted around this lake. Altogether, 20 geomorphic units have been identified under four morphogenetic processes—marine, fluvial, fluvio-marine/estuarine and denudational categories—that are operating in the coastal tract of Kerala. The units of strong relief have developed over Precambrian rocks and also on Tertiary sedimentary formations. Kerala is well known for hosting a variety of ecosystems linked to morphogenetic variations. Examining the state of the ecosystem in six selected coastal segments spreading from the north to the south of the state, characterised by different geomorphic setups, it is found that human interventions have affected the natural habitats in various measures. Urbanisation is one of the major stressors on the natural habitat. There have been several studies examining most of these issues over the last couple of decades. Based on available information and the authors’ own studies, this chapter discusses certain aspects of coastal geomorphology and selected coastal ecosystems that warrant attention for coastal zone management of Kerala.