Microbial diversity in coastal sediments during pre- and post-tsunami periods in the south east coast of India

Abstract

Sediment samples were collected from 12 beaches affected by the 2004 Asian Tsunami in the south-east coast of India between Vanagiri and Nagoor. The objective of the present study is to delineate the microbial diversity in preand post-tsunami disaster coastal sediments. The collected marine sediments indicate that the overall microbial diversity is higher in the pre-tsunami sediments. The increase in pathogenic bacteria and fungal species after the tsunami is obscured due to inundation and backwashing of seawater along the coast. The reduction of other microbial diversity after the tsunami is attributed that the coastal and shelf sediments play an important role in the demineralization of organic matter, which supports the growth of microbes. The continuous exchange of ocean water and backwashing of coastal sediments by the tsunami wave probably reduced the pathogenic bacterial diversity in the sediments.