ECO-BIOLOGICAL INTERACTION OF POLYPHENOLS AMONGACANTHUS ILICIFOLIUS, DETRITUS, AND UCA LACTEA ANNULIPESIN ESTUARINE-ECOSYSTEMMunmun Ghosh, Santi M. Mandal and Susanta K. ChakrabortyAbstract Bio-cycling of polyphenols in estuarine ecosystem have not been documented adequately among the floraand fauna thereof. Total phenolic contents, antioxidative potential and free-radical scavenging activityhave been analysed from three types of structural components (leaves of Acanthus illicifolius, and detritusloaded estuarine soil and a benthic fauna, Uca lactea annulipes), of the estuarine mangrove ecosystem of theNorth Eastern coastal belt of India. HPLC and MALDI-TOF Mass spectrometry analysis were performed toidentify and quantify the phenolic compounds. Results reveal that all the three samples contain Polyphenols that can be related through the process and pathways of eco-biological transformation. Though quantitativelyless, the presence of deprotonated polyphenols enriches the detritus laden soil. Interestingly, very fewparent ions of phenolic acids from leaf sample show up in the crab hemolymph. It contained new metabolitesconsisting of fragmented ions. This establishes the role of the fiddler crabs as agents participating in thebio-cycling of polyphenols and also depicts the interdependence of plants, animals, and soil for the exchangeof essential life supporting ingredients as an outcome of coevolutionary process. |