Mangrove Clam

Category: Environment and Ecology — Coastal Biodiversity

Mangrove clams are bivalve molluscs associated with mangrove forests, muddy tidal flats and estuarine environments. The term can refer to different clam species adapted to these habitats rather than one single species.

Key facts

  • Taxonomic group: Phylum Mollusca, class Bivalvia.

  • They possess two shells connected by a hinge.

  • Many clams are filter feeders that remove suspended particles and microorganisms from water.

  • They live in or on sediment and are adapted to changing tidal conditions.

  • Mangrove habitats provide organic matter, shelter and suitable sediment for many invertebrates.

Ecological importance

  • Filter feeding can influence water clarity and nutrient cycling.

  • Clams provide food for fish, birds, crustaceans and other predators.

  • They form part of the food web in estuarine ecosystems.

  • Their presence and abundance may provide information about local environmental conditions.

Threats

  • Mangrove destruction and coastal development.

  • Water pollution and sediment contamination.

  • Overharvesting and habitat disturbance.

  • Changes in salinity and temperature caused by environmental change.

UPSC key pointers

  • Clams belong to the class Bivalvia.

  • Mangroves are salt-tolerant coastal ecosystems found mainly in tropical and subtropical intertidal zones.

  • Mangrove roots help stabilise sediment and reduce coastal erosion.

  • Do not assume that every clam found in a mangrove is the same species.

  • Mangrove conservation supports fisheries, coastal protection, biodiversity and carbon storage.

21

Quick Revision Table for UPSC Prelims

Topic

Most important fact

Continental mantle earthquakes

Deep earthquakes are commonly associated with subducting lithospheric plates

Corruption Perceptions Index

Published by Transparency International; score ranges from 0 to 100

Lion-tailed macaque

Endangered primate endemic to the Western Ghats

Lysosomal storage disorders

Inherited disorders involving impaired lysosomal function

SBTi

Develops science-based corporate climate targets

Kant-Laplace hypothesis

Solar System formation from a rotating nebular cloud

Wet dress rehearsal

Launch-readiness test involving propellant-loading operations

Wajid Ali Shah

Last Nawab of Awadh; annexation occurred in 1856

PM-SURAJ

Credit and livelihood support for disadvantaged communities

National Large Solar Telescope

Proposed 2-metre-class solar telescope in Ladakh

PFMS

Government financial management system under the Ministry of Finance

Gilbert Hill

Basalt formation with columnar jointing in Mumbai

Network Readiness Index

Technology, People, Governance and Impact

Almatti Dam

Krishna River; Karnataka; Upper Krishna Project

SCALP missile

European air-launched cruise missile, also known as Storm Shadow in British service

Dragon Hole

Deep marine blue hole in the South China Sea

Mons Mouton

Lunar mountain associated with the south polar region

Swavalambini

Women’s entrepreneurship and skill development programme

Ethylene glycol

Diol used in antifreeze and polyester manufacture; toxic if swallowed

Mangrove clam

Bivalve mollusc associated with coastal and estuarine ecosystems