STUDIES ON ORGANIC-CARBON, NITROGEN AND PHOSPHORUS IN THE SEDIMENTS OF MANDOVI ESTUARY, GOA

Sediment organic carbon, total nitrogen, total phosphorous and hydrogr aphy of the overlying waters of the estuarine region in Mandovi estuar y have been studied. The relationship of carbon and nutrients with sed iment characteristics indicated a significant linear variation with cl ay and silt. The organic carbon varies from 1.04 to 32.77 mg.g(-1) and the total nitrogen and total phosphorous varies from 3.81 to 32.71 mg .g(-1) and from 0.46 to 6.74 mg.g(-1) respectively. A highly significa nt correlation between the phosphorous and nitrogen in sediments indic ated a common source for both. The significant variations of the N/P r atios exhibiting high monsoonal ratios indicated low phosphorous conte nt. The other ratios of C/P and C/N and their variations are discussed .