Abstract
East Kolkata Wetland (EKW) has been assigned the status of Ramsar Site because of its vastness as well as self purification capabilities which have been utilized by local people for the massive agricultural and aquaculture production for more than one century. In this context, an attempt has been made in the present paper to evaluate the existing environmental health of four selected contrasting wetlands of this eco-zone of global importance by qualitative and quantitative hydro-biological studies. Two of the selected wetlands (study site-III and study site-IV) used to receive water from raw sewage after undergoing phytoremediation process. The study site-II has been selected with a view to evaluate the pollution stress on the structural components of this wetland ecosystem as it receives waste water because of anthropogenic activities, and the study site-I is away from any pollution impact as it is located in a well managed natural park. Quantification of the variabilities of different biotic components caused by water pollution has been assessed by recording binary distribution patterns of zooplankton and similarity indices. Besides, new Biotic Indices (Species Pollution Value—SPV and Community Pollution Value—CPV) have been developed using data on the distributional patterns of zooplankton in order to assess the degree of pollution of the studied wetlands. Seasonal water quality data along with qualitative and quantitative information of biological parameters have also been taken into consideration to highlight the impact of phytoremediation on wetland ecosystem dynamics on one hand and pollution stress on the structural and functional components of the water body on the other hand.
Highlights
Environmental monitoring of aquatic system is meant for programmed measurement and recording of various water quality parameters in accordance with definite objectives
The present paper has generated considerable information with regard to the ecodynamics of four selected wetlands that have contrasting ecological features and locate along East Kolkata Wetlands (EKW) of international significance taking into consideration of diversity and population density of zooplanktonic species of 3 major taxa viz. rotifera (5 genera and 11 species), cladocera (6 genera) and copepoda (4 genera) in relation to major water quality parameters
According to Index of Similarity, the highest similarity values of total zooplankton, rotifera and copepoda were observed between study site-I and study site-IV (58.8%, 60% and 66.67%, respectively) while the highest similarity values of both total zooplankton and cladocera were observed between study site-II and study site-III (58.3% and 85.71%, respectively)
Summary
Environmental monitoring of aquatic system is meant for programmed measurement and recording of various water quality parameters in accordance with definite objectives. It includes mostly the estimation of physicochemical parameters of water. Wetlands are among the most productive life support systems in the world and are of immense socio-economic and ecological importance to mankind. They play tremendous role in the flood control, improvement of water quality, recycling of natural ground water, acting as buffer against natural disaster, controlling of erosion, sediment’s trapping, maintenance of biodiversity, waste water treatment and nutrients’ recycling [6]. The environmental characteristics are determined mostly by hydrological processes which display diurunal, seasonal and even annual fluctuations in response to meteorological, socioeconomic and locational factors [7]
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