Microbial indicators of anthropogenic stress in the mangrove ecosystems of Goa

Studies of microbial community responses to heavy metal pollution and remediation of real-world multi-metal sites has rarely been done. It is important to understand how microorganisms are affected by heavy metal pollution. Microbes control most biogeochemical processes and ecosystem productivity and hence important to study the relationship between the stress due to metals and their diversity. Furthermore, rapid and reliable methods for monitoring microbial communities are needed in conjunction with physico-chemical tests to guide remediation and provide means to determine the degree and level of restoration of polluted sites. Microbes have the ability to mobilize heavy metal determinants and a relationship between heavy metal resistance and metal contamination can be established. These multiple heavy metal resistant bacteria could eventually be used for detection and quantification of the level of heavy metal-polluted soil/water.