Multivariate statistical approach to identify significant sources influencing the physico-chemical variables in Aerial Bay, North Andaman, India

Dilip Kumar Jha; N V Vinithkumar; Biraja Kumar Sahu; Apurba Kumar Das; P S Dheenan; P Venkateshwaran; Mehmuna Begum; T Ganesh; M Prashanthi Devi; R Kirubagaran

doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2014.06.007

Multivariate statistical approach to identify significant sources influencing the physico-chemical variables in Aerial Bay, North Andaman, India

Mar Pollut Bull. 2014 Aug 15;85(1):261-7. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2014.06.007. Epub 2014 Jun 27.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Andaman and Nicobar Centre for Ocean Science and Technology, Earth System Sciences Organization (ESSO) - National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), Ministry of Earth Sciences, Port Blair 744103, India. Electronic address: dilipjhaniot@gmail.com.
² Andaman and Nicobar Centre for Ocean Science and Technology, Earth System Sciences Organization (ESSO) - National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), Ministry of Earth Sciences, Port Blair 744103, India.
³ Department of Ocean Studies and Marine Biology, Pondicherry University, Port Blair 744103, India.
⁴ Department of Environmental Management, School of Environmental Sciences, Bharathidasan University, India.
⁵ Ocean Science and Technology for Islands, ESSO - NIOT, Ministry of Earth Sciences (Govt. of India), Chennai 600100, India.

PMID: 24981105
DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2014.06.007

Abstract

Aerial Bay is one of the harbor towns of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the union territory of India. Nevertheless, it is least studied marine environment, particularly for physico-chemical assessment. Therefore, to evaluate the annual spatiotemporal variations of physico-chemical parameters, seawater samples collected from 20 sampling stations covering three seasons were analyzed. Multivariate statistics is applied to the investigated data in an attempt to understand the causes of variation in physico-chemical parameters. Cluster analysis distinguished mangrove and open sea stations from other areas by considering distinctive physico-chemical characteristics. Factor analysis revealed 79.5% of total variance in physico-chemical parameters. Strong loading included transparency, TSS, DO, BOD, salinity, nitrate, nitrite, inorganic phosphate, total phosphorus and silicate. In addition, box-whisker plots and Geographical Information System based land use data further facilitated and supported multivariate results.

Keywords: Aerial Bay; Multivariate; North Andaman; Nutrients; Physico-chemical.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Analysis of Variance
Bays
Cluster Analysis
Environmental Monitoring / methods*
Factor Analysis, Statistical
India
Multivariate Analysis
Nitrates / analysis*
Nitrites / analysis
Oceans and Seas
Phosphates / analysis
Phosphorus / analysis
Principal Component Analysis
Salinity
Seasons
Seawater / analysis*
Silicates / analysis

Substances

Nitrates
Nitrites
Phosphates
Silicates
Phosphorus