Abstract
The present study was intended to record the biodiversity status of selected village ponds in district Hisar (Haryana) from August, 2012 to July, 2013. Periodic fortnightly visits were carried out to determine the species composition and distribution pattern of birds, phytoplankton and zooplankton. A total number of17 species of birds belonging to 9 orders (Anseriformes, Charadriiformes, Ciconiformes, Coraciifomes, Cuculiformes, Gruiformes, Passeriformes, Pelecaniformes and Psittaciformes) were identified in the study area. Charadriiformes was the most dominant order. The study revealed the presences of 18 species of phytoplankton belonging to Bacillariophyceae, Chlorophyceae, Cyanophyceae and Euglenophyceae. Bacillariophyceae having 7 species was found to be dominant among all. In case of zooplankton, 11 species were encountered of which 7 were Rotifers, 3 were Cladocera and 1 was Copepoda. Thus Rotifers represented the maximum number of species among zooplankton.
Highlights
Biodiversity refers to the variability among living organisms from all sources including inter alia, terrestrial, freshwater and marine aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are the part (Convention on biological diversity, UNEP, 1992)
India has rich biodiversity as it lies at the junction of three biogeographical provinces of Africa, Temperate Eurasia and Oriental and, as a result, it has biological heritage that qualifies it as one of the 12 mega diversity nations of the World (Kothari, 1994)
According to Hosetti and Caplan (2001), more than 45000 species of plants and 65000 species of animals have been recorded from the Indian subcontinent representing 7 % and 6.5 % of the world’s flora and fauna respectively
Summary
Biodiversity refers to the variability among living organisms from all sources including inter alia, terrestrial, freshwater and marine aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are the part (Convention on biological diversity, UNEP, 1992). Wetlands are one of the crucial natural resources and are areas of land that are either temporarily or permanently covered by water This means that a wetland is neither truly aquatic nor terrestrial; it is possible that wetlands can be both at the same time depending on seasonal variability. Zooplankton provide the main food for fishes and can be used as an indicator of trophic status of any aquatic body (Verma and Munshi, 1987).There are many wetlands available in different parts of the country.The wetlands are highly productive areas with rich biodiversity.
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