Biomonitoring the status of aquatic bodies using zooplankton as surrogate species amidst urban landscape

Abstract

The concept of surrogates in biodiversity assessments has been widely accepted in the recent years. Surrogates are taxonomic groups that indicate the overall biodiversity at a particular site. Zooplankton is an important component of the aquatic ecosystem, playing a major role in energy transfer between the phytoplankton or producers and the consumers at higher trophic levels. In this study zooplanktons were considered as surrogates for biomonitoring status of two aquatic bodies amidst urban landscape at the southern fringes of Kolkata, West Bengal, India through different seasons. Zooplankton diversity and abundance was found to vary with seasons in both the ponds in correlation with limnological parameters. Pond 1 was found to be larger in size, having partial macrophyte cover in comparison with Pond 2 which is smaller and devoid of any macrophyte cover over the study period. The Pond 1 elucidated higher diversity of zooplankton having higher water pH and phosphate concentration and less nitrite concentration. Pond 2 elaborated less zooplankton diversity with lower pH, less phosphate and higher nitrite concentration. Diversity and abundance of zooplankton surrogates provided valuable information about the status of water bodies amidst urban landscape and can be utilised as a tool for biomonitoring.