Bio-indications of sunken ships and ship wrecks

Abstract

An evaluation of bottom fauna of ship-wreck sites in estuarine and coastal waters of Goa, India, revealed an exceptionally high biotic enrichment. In terms of number of species, faunal dispersion, faunal diversity, biomass and productivity, in space and time, the values for richness and heterogeneity in benthic macrofauna were generally higher at ship wreck sites than at close proximity natural sites. Rationale of using biotic factors as indicators of modification of submarine biotopes due to ship-wrecks and other man-made objects is discussed.