Multi-scale analysis of Loktak wetlandscape using Earth Observation datasets

Keibul Lamjao National Park (KLNP), Loktak lake Manipur, north-east India which is one of the 25 Ramsar sites of international importance and the biggest fresh water Lake in India. Macrophytes of the floating Phumdi mat environment of KLNP play an important role in the aquatic environment. An investigation was planned during the period of about three years from March, 2010 to December 2012, to study the diversity pattern of habitats of macrophytes available in six study sites of KLNP viz., 1.Kumbi, 2.Khordak, 3.Keibul, 4.Toya, 5. Nongmaikhong and 6. Sargam. All total 85 dominant plant species were recorded. Maximum plant species (49) was observed in Site-1 Kumbi (Altitude-780m) and minimum (27) in Site-3 Keibul (Altitude-772). The variation of plant species may be because of the slight variation of altitude. As the six study sites are distributed as floating aquatic environment in KLNP Loktak Lake, there is favourable place of the plants in higher altitude and altitude represents a complex gradient along which many environmental variables change concomitantly. In all the six study sites, common distribution of ten dominant plant macrophytes viz., Ageratum conizoides, Hedychium coronarium, Leersia hexandra, Oenanthe javanica, Phragmites karka, Polygonum sagittatum, Saccharum munja, Thelypteris interrupta and Zizania latifolia was noticed. Individual dominant plant was recorded in other sites also viz., Azola piñata in site-6; Xanthium atrumarium, Polygonum orientale, Dichrocephala latifolia and Cymbopogon citratus in site-2; Arundo plinii, Cuscuta reflexa, Gnaphalium luteo-album, Hydrilla verticillata, Marsilia minuta, Saccolepis interrupta, Selvenia cuculata and Utricularia spp. in site-1. Variation of IVI value of dominant plant species was observed in this study. Even though 85 dominant plants were selected for all the 6 sites, however, maximum plant richness expressed in IVI was recorded in case of Zizania latifolia (Site-5, IVI-87.5) and minimum IVI in case of Xanthium strumarium (Site-2, IVI-1.13). The diversity pattern and habitats of macrophytes in KLNP Phumdi environment might be due to water availability along the altitudinal gradient and other environmental factors suited in the study sites and expected to be an important factor affecting the survival and fecundity of plant population. We need to conserve the natural habitat of KLNP thereby maintaining the luxuriant growth of the seasonal and perennial, macrophytes, so as to maintain the natural flora and fauna of the park. These plants are the food of man and animal therefore, it needs a proper care and attention to protect them from over exploitation. Considering the diversity pattern of habitats of Macrophytes in KLNP, a floating mat Phumdi environment with high floral diversity and unique vegetation assemblage, it has been suggested that this track and adjoining sites should be declared as ecologically sensitive area not only the World Heritage Site.

Aquatic insect diversity of a protected area, Keibul Lamjao National Park in Manipur, North East India

Dixie Meadows, Nevada, is a system of geothermal springs and seeps that feed a complex of marshes and wetland meadows that are located within lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the Department of Defense (DOD). A previous U.S. Geological Survey report documented variability in satellite imagery-based land cover classifications for seven wetland complexes at near monthly time intervals between October 2015 and January 2022. This report presents additional data, extending analysis to November 2023. Land cover classifications between October 2015 and November 2023 demonstrated an association between vegetation cover characteristics and surface moisture, with Class 1 having dry, bare soil or sparse upland vegetation, Class 2 having moist, bare soil or sparse to small vegetation, Class 3 having dense green vegetation with potentially saturated soil conditions, Class 4 having a mix of shallow surface water, saturated soil, and dense green vegetation, and Class 5 having open surface water. Most of the wetland complexes occur close to spring outflows primarily within land managed by the DOD, though portions are also within BLM lands. The intervening and surrounding landscape outside of the wetland complexes assessed in this study are managed by the BLM. As a result, Class 1 land covers had the largest areal coverage for BLM managed lands. Classes 2 and 3 land covers were primarily mapped inside the wetland complexes and thus had the largest area coverage within DOD managed lands. Class 4 was almost exclusively mapped within the wetland complexes and thus was largely contained within DOD managed lands. Class 5 (open water) was exclusively mapped in and adjacent to a single wetland complex with catchment ponds on land managed by the BLM. The distribution of these land cover classes over the study period was seasonally and annually variable. Land cover areas of Classes 1 and 2 were larger during the spring months. Conversely, land cover areas of Classes 3 and 4 tended to be greatest during the summer or fall. These patterns might be influenced by differences in seasonal water sources and phenology.

An in-depth understanding of carbon dynamics and ecosystem productivity is essential for conservation and management of different ecosystems. Ecosystem dynamics and carbon budget are assessed by estimating net ecosystem production (NEP) across different global ecosystems. An ecological productivity assessment of forest and floating meadow ecosystems in Keibul Lamjao National Park (KLNP), Manipur, North East India, was conducted using the multi-criteria decision-making process namely, gray relational analysis (GRA). The analysis was performed on 24 selected criterions classified either as "higher-the-better" or "lower-the-better" based on their degree of influence on the carbon budget. Floating meadows exhibited a higher production of aboveground and belowground biomass and a higher total mortality and decay. Furthermore, the study found that floating meadows exhibited a higher soil organic carbon (SOC) and net soil organic matter (SOM) than the forest ecosystem. The forest ecosystem showed higher total respiration (RT), heterotrophic respiration (RH), and autotrophic respiration (RA) than floating meadows. Floating meadows exhibited a higher net primary productivity (NPP) of 616.49 ± 33.87 gCm-2year-1 than the forest ecosystem, which has a NPP of 566.64 ± 65.26 gCm-2year-1. Similarly, floating meadows have higher NEP (495.25 ± 36.46 gCm-2year-1) than forest ecosystems (418.39 ± 65.76 gCm-2year-1). These characteristics have a significant influence on the carbon budget in floating meadows as compared to forest ecosystems, as shown by larger values of gray relational coefficient (GRC) in GRA. The floating meadows ecosystem (0.82) obtained 54.72% gain in gray relational grades (GRG) value with the forest ecosystem (0.53). This study might help in improving KLNP and other adjutant areas for conservation and management policies from the vital information given on the importance of wetlands in carbon dynamics and ecosystem productivity.

With the loss and degradation of wetlands in some areas of the Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) reaching 80-90%, it is critical that resource managers ensure that the habitat that is put back on the landscape is as high quality as possible. Resource managers have been excavating sediment and topsoil, to promote the “hemi-marsh” condition, during the wetland restoration process in the PPR for over 20 years. I refer to the commonly held perception that the hemi-marsh condition supports the most diverse avian communities in small prairie pothole wetlands as the hemi-marsh condition hypothesis. The literature currently does not address the effects of excavation on the proportion of vegetative zones (i.e., sedge meadow, emergent vegetation, and open water) or avian communities in semi-permanent wetlands that are less than 0.6 ha, yet there are thousands of these wetlands throughout the PPR. Understanding the effects of excavation and testing the hemi-marsh condition hypothesis in small prairie wetlands is important to resource managers because these small wetlands are critical for maintaining the integrity of prairie wetland complexes. I conducted vegetation surveys, avian surveys, and estimated nest success on 40 small ( < 0.6 ha), semi-permanent wetlands in the PPR of Minnesota to assess the influence of excavation on vegetation and avian communities. My data indicated a significant difference in the proportion of all vegetative zones between wetlands that were excavated until topsoil was exposed (topsoil excavations) and wetlands that were excavated until subsoil was exposed (subsoil excavations) (F3, 148 = 21.533, P < 0.001, ηp2 = 0.304). The subsoil excavation technique increased the proportion of the open water zone (subsoil excavations: = 20.5%, SD = 18.1 and topsoil excavations: = 15.7%, SD = 14.8) by inhibiting plant growth in exposed subsoil. Altering the topography within basins decreased the proportion of the sedge meadow zone when the subsoil excavation technique was used (subsoil excavations: = 46.8%, SD = 20.7 and topsoil excavations: = 69.9%, SD = 13.6). This technique resulted in an increase in the proportion of the emergent vegetation zone (subsoil excavations: = 32.7%, SD = 23.4 and topsoil excavations: = 14.6%, SD = 12.5) by replacing sedge meadow with deeper water habitat. My analyses did not show a significant difference in Shannon-Weiner Diversity Index (F2, 70 = 0.770, P = 0.467, ηp2 = 0.022), Simpson’s Index of Diversity (F1.844 = 0.016, P = 0.979, ηp2 < 0.001), or daily survival probability (F1 = 1.334, P = 0.254, ηp2 = 0.029) between topsoil and subsoil excavations. However, avian density (F1.688 = 3.497, P = 0.041, ηp2 = 0.047) and nest density (F1 = 9.863, P = 0.003, ηp2 = 0.180) were significantly higher in subsoil excavations. With red-winged blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) and sora (Porzana Carolina) accounting for over 83.5% of the nests in my study, I expected to see greater avian densities and nest densities in subsoil excavations since these species required emergent vegetation for nesting substrate. My statistical models indicated that avian diversity is best predicted by a combination of the proportion of emergent vegetation spring, proportion of emergent vegetation summer, and wetland area more so than by the proportion of emergent vegetation alone which is the basis of the hemi-marsh condition hypothesis. Clearly, small, less than 0.6 ha, prairie pothole wetlands function differently than their larger counterparts. Resource managers need to recognize the limitations in small wetlands; therefore, promoting the hemi-marsh condition in small wetlands is not the most efficient use of management dollars. My recommendations are to restore small prairie wetlands to their historical topography by using the topsoil excavation technique because resource managers do not currently know the potential negative impacts that exposing subsoil could have on plant and macroinvertebrate communities.

Loktak Lake is the largest fresh water Lake in the North-eastern India. Keibul Lamjao National Park (KLNP) is a floating-mat (Phumdi) park inside the Lake. Study deals with the inter-related approaches: micobiological study, free-listing, participant observation and preference ranking of the six study sites of KLNP. Generally, plant collection per day was about 600 kg of Hedychium coronarium J. Koenig which were extracted from the park and found to be the most preferable species; while Persicaria sagittata (L.) H. Gross, as the least among the selected plants. Microbiological analysis of water for the six study sites recorded high pollution as evidenced by high values of Standard Plate Count (SPC) for bacteria ranging from 73,500-96,500 and microbial analysis of MPN (Most Probable Number) of coliform bacteria varies between100 and 320/100 ml and faecal coliform 95 and 200/100 ml. Free CO2 concentrations varied at the surface from 2-60 mg/l and 6-70 mg/l at the bottom of the park. In the KLNP environment the higher CO2 and lower concentrations of dissolved oxygen (DO) might be due to the floating mat (Phumdi) nature, in which light and exchange of gases does not occur as it does in the natural water bodies.

We report on the results of the first mark–recapture survey of freshwater turtles in an isolated urban wetland complex in one of Canada’s fastest growing municipalities. Although we found turtles in every surveyed wetland, the density and assemblage of turtles in smaller wetlands were significantly different than in larger wetland bodies. We also documented two species of turtles that were thought to be absent from this wetland complex, the Northern Map turtle and Eastern Musk turtle. We noted that a wetland that was bisected by a high-traffic road showed a male-skewed sex ratio in the population of Midland Painted turtles but not in the population of Eastern Snapping turtles. As a whole, the sex ratios inside the wetland complex were not skewed. These results reinforce the conclusions of a previous study of a single wetland within this same complex that had found a correlation between road mortality and a male-skewed sex ratio in Midland painted turtles. We discuss population sources and sinks within the complex and the importance of protecting the overland corridors that support the safe turtle movements within this provincially significant wetland complex.

The key patch approach assumes that metapopulations in fragmented landscapes are likely to be viable with at least one “key” sub-population that is sufficiently large to ensure re-colonization of surrounding minor habitat patches. It is based on a minimum viable number of breeding pairs and within-breeding season dispersal distance, linked to size of the animal and longevity. It was tested using census data of 15 wetland bird species (bearded tit, bluethroat, great reed warbler, sedge warbler, Savi’s warbler, grasshopper warbler, spotted crake, water rail, common snipe, common teal, garganey, little bittern, night heron, great bittern and marsh harrier) in 14 wetland complexes of variable size (3–55 km2) spread across the Netherlands (distances ranging 4–156 km). First, for each species it was assessed whether a wetland harbored a key subpopulation, which was the case for the sedge warbler (7 key subpopulations), grass-hopper warbler (2), water rail (2), bearded tit, bluethroat, Savi’s warbler, common teal, garganey, great bittern and marsh harrier (all one key subpopulation).Together with the adjacent sub-populations present within breeding season dispersal distance, 10 out of the 15 studied species formed viable meta-populations. This was compared with the trend in the census data of 13 species for 1990–2000 and was found to correspond significantly (likelihood ratio test, P = 0.003): species without a viable meta-population had declined (2 out of 4) or remained stable (2 out of 4), whereas viable meta-populations had increased (6 out of 9) or remained comparatively stable (2 out of 9). One wetland complex, the Oostvaardersplassen, stood out in that it haboured key sub-populations for 9 out of the 15 species studied. Variation in quantity of specific habitat (area or perimeter marshland, woodland or open water) in a wetland complex was of limited importance explaining abundance patterns, since all covaried strongly with total area among the wetland complexes, with the exception of water perimeter. Apparently, these wetlands on peat harbour largely similar landscapes. Indeed, population sizes of most birds covaried strongly and in a PCA two distinct clusters of species were identified that shared high numbers of breeding pairs in the same, larger, wetland complexes, the first (3 species) including the great reed warbler, and the second (9 species) the water rail.

Assessing seasonal variation of diffusive nitrous oxide emission from freshwater wetland in Keibul Lamjao National Park, Manipur Northeast India

Seasonal variations in the water quality of a tropical wetland dominated by floating meadows and its implication for conservation of Ramsar wetlands

A survey carried out for thrips (Thysanoptera) at the Keibul Lamjao National Park, Manipur and at Manipur University campus, within the Indo-Burma hotspot region of northeastern India revealed the occurrence of Anaphothrips incertus (Girault) , Mycterothrips auratus Wang, Bamboosiella hartwigi (Pitkin), Euphysothrips minozzii Bagnall, Mycterothrips ricini (Shumsheer) , Dolichothrips citripes (Bagnall), Xylaplothrips flavitibia Ananthakrishnan & Jagadish and X. inquilinus Priesner . The o ccurrence of the first three species in India and the remaining five species in northeastern India is reported for the first time through the present study. In addition, a new species, Tylothrips samirseni sp. nov. is described.

Odonata larvae were collected from Keibul Lamjao National Park, Manipur, northeastern India during 2009-2011. The study recorded 15 species of Odonata larvae belonging to the anisopteran families Aeshnidae, Libellulidae and zygopteran families Calopterigidae, Lestidae and Coenagrionidae. The study revealed that there is a need for a detailed study of Odonata fauna of the national park as thorough knowledge of the important species of a conservation area is very essential for proper management.

<div><p><em>Flowering calendar of a particular area will give the information of the period and duration of flowering among plants. The purpose of the study is to investigate the presence of the habitat of some dominant macrophytes in Keibul Lamjao National Park (a Ramsar site) which have ethnobotanical relationships with human beings (the lake dwellers in particular and tourist in general) and wild animals. Flowering calendar of six study sites viz., Keibul, Nongmaikhong, Kumbi, Khordak, Sargam and Toyaching were studied and monthly flowering calendars were taken for two year period (2010 to 2011). Flowering calendars of the macrophytes were surveyed by following standard methodologies and comparison of the stages of flowering period of 6 study sites was incorporated. Maximum number of flowering plants (44) was recorded in Sargam, Khordak (32), Kumbi (30), Nongmaikhong (29) during the period September to November. Whereas, Toyaching reached 35, Keibul recorded lowest plant numbers (14) during the period June to August. Four plant species viz., Ageratum conyzoides, Alternanthera philoxeroides, Leersia hexandra and Hedychium coronarium were found throughout the year in all the 6 sites. From the findings, it can be concluded that flowering calendar will give the information of plants which are used as fodder for the wild animals like Sangai (Rucervus eldii eldii McClelland), an endangered deer species in this globe and ethnobotanically important plants of the lake dwellers as food, medicinal plants and allergens, thereby maintaining health status of man and animals. Conservation is required by controlling the human anthropogenic harassments, thereby maintaining the luxuriant growth of the seasonal and perennial, macrophytes observed during the study of flowering calendar, so as to maintain and conserve the natural flora and fauna of the park.</em></p></div>

The present investigation was undertaken to study the diversity of wetland birds in Chhaya Rann (Gujarati: Deserted land) wetland complex, situated in the urban setting of Porbandar City, in the western state of Gujarat, India. Almost 70 species belonging to 21 families of wetland birds have been reported from here with an estimated count of 35,747 and 20,981 in the year 2016 and 2015 respectively. Anatidae and Scolopacidae represent the higher number of species (11 each) followed by Ardeidae (eight species) and Laridae (seven species). The wetland complex supports one IUCN Red Listed Vulnerable species (Common Pochard Aythya ferina), six Near Threatened species (Lesser Flamingo Phoeniconaias minor, Oriental Darter Anhinga melanogaster, Dalmatian Pelican Pelecanus crispus, Black-headed Ibis Threskiornis melanocephalus, Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa and River Tern Sterna aurantia), and 63 Least Concern species. The wetland meets the Criteria 5 and 6 for listing as a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention.

Climate change study for the meteorological variables in the Barak River basin in North-East India