Research Projects

Amphipods, comprising over 10,590 species, inhabit both pelagic and benthic zones and play crucial roles in nutrient cycling, decomposition, and supporting aquatic food webs. Benthic amphipods, in particular, contribute to sediment stability and energy flow, earning them the status of ecological keystone species. Their high sensitivity to environmental changes makes them valuable bioindicators for detecting pollution from sewage, oil, and heavy metals. They are also incorporated into ecological assessment tools like AMBI and BOPA. Despite their importance, amphipods remain understudied—especially in tropical regions. In India, although molecular tools are gradually being applied to taxonomy, comprehensive research is still limited. Expanding studies in this area is vital for advancing biodiversity monitoring and ecotoxicological evaluations. Amphipod research in India is still in its early stages, with most studies focused on taxonomy and species discovery in coastal and estuarine habitats. However, ecological and molecular research remains limited, restricting understanding of their functional roles and genetic diversity. Despite their suitability for pollution studies, native amphipods are underused in ecotoxicological research, especially compared to extensive work done in Europe and North America. Bridging these gaps through multidisciplinary research will not only deepen our understanding of amphipod ecology and evolution but also enhance their utility in environmental monitoring and conservation across Indian coastal ecosystems. This study aims to address that gap by conducting a comprehensive assessment of amphipod taxonomy and diversity in Goa’s two major estuaries—Mandovi and Zuari. Alongside biodiversity documentation, the research also evaluates sediment-associated toxicity and its biological effects on amphipod populations. The specific objectives include assessing toxicant impacts on growth and reproduction, analyzing contaminant bioaccumulation in tissues, detecting metallothionein (MT) protein induction as a biomarker of metal exposure, and evaluating genotoxic effects such as DNA strand breaks. This study provides the first detailed account of amphipod diversity in the Mandovi and Zuari estuaries. By exploring their taxonomy and ecological responses to pollution, the research uncovers both the species richness of these estuaries and highlights key amphipods that can serve as reliable bioindicators of environmental health.