Abstract
The present study aims to assess the physicochemical parameters and distribution of aquatic macrophytes of seasonal wetlands flowing into the coast of Palk Bay, southeast coast of India. We tested the hypothesis whether there is any statistically significant difference in physicochemical parameters and macrophyte communities among study location. Water quality parameters such as temperature, pH, salinity, TDS, DO, turbidity and electrical conductivity, and the aquatic macrophyte diversity were estimated in all three stations. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Pearson correlation were employed to assess the relationship between water quality parameters, and the water quality index (WQI) was computed to assess the status of water conditions. The ANOVA revealed that there is no statistically significant difference (p > 0.05) in water quality parameters among the three stations. The lowest f value 0.180 was recorded for pH and highest of 2.478 for TDS. A total of 7 submerged macrophytes, namely Ceratophyllum demersum L., Egeria densa Planch., Lemna minor L., Marsilea quadrifolia L., Sagittaria guayanensis and Isoetes riparia; 6 rooted floating weeds, namely Potamogeton nodosus Poir., Nymphaea odorata Aiton., Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn., Myriophyllum spicatum L. and Hydrilla verticillata; 1 floating, namely Eichhornia crassipes Kunth; and 1 rooted macrophyte, namely Najas minor, were recorded in Tharavai wetland. A deplorable water quality condition was found in the selected study area, which was evidenced from WQI (> 76%). Of this, submerged aquatic vegetation is used as the water quality key indicator, and it exists where there is a better water quality condition. The EC, TDS and turbidity negatively influenced the aquatic macrophytes. Therefore, there is a need for some adaptation measure to maintain the water quality for more extended period for domestic use.
Highlights
Wetlands are essential element in biological diversity and ecosystem function
The present study aims to investigate the status of the physiochemical parameters and its influences of aquatic macrophytes in seasonal wetland ecosystem in the southeast coast of India
Temperature has been determined using the pattern of distribution of macrophytes, thereby influencing the productivity and species composition, and this is varied with depth, season and geographical location
Summary
Wetlands are essential element in biological diversity and ecosystem function. This utility performance varied by the hydrological and ecosystem functions (Banner and MacKenzie 2000). Wetlands provide essential habitat for many wildlife such as fish species, animals, birds, amphibians and mammals, plant species (macrophytes, plankton diversity) and focal ecosystem for many other (Hernandez and Mitsch 2007; Palit and Mukherjee 2012). Aquatic plants can act as measurable indicators of the ecological conditions of surface waters. The submerged species strongly dependent on water quality have proved to be vulnerable to changes in the aquatic environment (Robach et al 1996; Dawson et al 1999). Submerged macrophytes are considered to be suitable eutrophication indicators and are sensitive to local environmental conditions
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