Keibul Lamjao National Park Research Articles

Diversity and Population of Ducks and Geese in Keibul Lamjao National Park (KLNP) in Manipur, India

As a part of the Asian Waterbird Census (AWC), surveys on ducks and geese were made at five (5) major waterbird congregation sites of Keibul Lamjao National Park (KLNP) during 2020-2024. A total of 18 species of ducks and two species of geese belonging to the family of Anatidae were recorded during the period. The duck species includes 14 migratory and 4 resident species and the two migratory geese species. Lesser Whistling Duck Dendrocygna javanica was the most abundant and dominant species in terms of population followed by Gadwall Anas strepera and Red - crested Pochard Netta rufina and minimum value was observed in Greylag Goose Anser anser. The Critically Endangered Baer’s Pochard Aythya fuligula was recorded in the year 2023 at Pabot Chingmang site (2 individuals). Another two globally Near threatened (NT) Ferruginous Pochard Aythya nyroca and Falcated Duck Anas falcata have been recorded here.

Feasibility study of UAV based ecological monitoring and habitat assessment of cervids in the floating meadows of Keibul Lamjao National Park in Manipur, India

Technological interventions such as remote sensing can play a crucial role in conserving inaccessible wetlands and their associated species. The floating meadows of Keibul Lamjao National Park (KLNP) in Manipur, India, are the only home to the last remaining wild population of the endangered and endemic Eld’s Deer, locally known as Sangai (Rucervus eldii eldii). Besides the rampant change in land use and altering water regimes induced by anthropogenic pressure, monitoring the population and habitat quality remains challenging. Moreover, conventional in-situ surveys that involve infiltrating animal habitats could adversely affect the habits and behavior of such shy species as a response to human presence. This study assesses the scope of Uncrewed Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) to non-invasively access such a challenging habitat and detect the ungulate individuals of interest. A quadcopter, mounted with an optical (RGB) and a thermal camera, was tested in this landscape conditions for its durability, failsafe range, flexibility, camera capabilities for visualization and detection, and resolution. The results of the drone survey based on three different time frames suggest that it is feasible to soar through the floating meadows to detect deer, best during dawn and dusk. Detection yielded the best results without creating a disturbance in animal behavior, with thermal infrared (TIR) imaging at night and both TIR and optical during the early morning. A flying height of nearly 90 m with RGB for vegetation and 20–25 m with TIR for animal presence yielded the best results. We have also established the least distracting sampling technique by analyzing the behavioral response of the deer to the presence of a drone. This study has paved a safe and practical way for acquiring accurate ground information that can assist in population estimation, habitat assessment, and burnt area estimation due to wildfire, to aid the conservation of an invaluable natural asset.

Submerged macrophytes enhance carbon emission (CO2 and CH4) from the freshwater wetland in Keibul Lamjao National Park, Manipur, India

Worldwide, the exacerbation of global warming has accelerated the growth of submerged macrophytes in wetlands, thereby substantiating the supply of labile substrates for carbon (CH4 and CO2) emissions. Nevertheless, limited studies have been conducted on carbon emission from tropical wetlands with submerged macrophytes. In the current study an attempt has been made to reveal the role of submerged macrophytes in influencing carbon flux from a natural wetland in the Indo-Burma Biodiversity hotspots. The submerged macrophytes colonising the shallow freshwater wetland of Keibul Lamjao comprise of Hydrilla verticillata, Ceratophyllum demersum, and Potamogeton crispus, with primary productivity at community level ranging between 20.72 and 152.53 g m-2 d-1 (mean, 95.6 ± 54.66 g m-2 d-1). This study gives a comparative analysis of the carbon gases (CH4 and CO2) emission in two distinct zones of the wetland: areas with profuse submerged macrophytic growth and water free of macrophytes. The mean CO2 and CH4 emissions from the zone with submerged macrophytes were 8362.64 ± 2935.57 and 227.90 ± 73.50 mg m-2 d-1, respectively, compared to 5558.07 ± 1222.05 and 149.72 ± 20.44 mg m-2 d-1 from those without macrophytes. The CO2 and CH4 emissions peak during the summer and wane in the following seasons, with minimum emissions occurring during the winter. It is apparent from the results that the generation of the gases in the wetland was temperature dependent, plus the macrophytic detritus availability. The carbon emissions were significantly correlated with the physicochemical properties of the water and the lake bottom sediment. A significantly positive correlation between carbon emission and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and organic matter (OM) was established in the zone with macrophytes, thereby revealing that the growth of submerged macrophytes in the wetland enhances atmospheric carbon emissions.

Challenges in the conservation of endangered Rucervus eldii eldii McClelland in Keibul Lamjao National Park and Pumlen pat: an analysis of sediment and water quality of the floating natural habitats in the Indo Burma hotspot.

As a part of the monitoring practice of the lone natural habitat of the endemic and endangered Rucervus eldii eldii McClelland or Sangai, the paper reports sediment and water characteristics of Keibul Lamjao National Park-the only floating national park of the world in Manipur, Indo Burma hotspot. The water analysis showed low pH (5.69 ± 0.16), high electrical conductivity (342 ± 13.01 μS m-1), high turbidity (33.2 ± 9.407 NTU), and high phosphate concentrations (0.92 ± 0.11mg L-1) during the study period. The water quality index values calculated indicate that the park water during post-monsoon season is unfit for drinking. Thus, the degrading water quality poses a serious risk to the health of the deer and other species in the park. At present, Sangai in its natural habitat is threatened by pollution, encroachment, phoomdi thickness reduction, and inbreeding depression. To address the problem of inbreeding, Pumlen pat is considered as a second suitable natural habitat for the deer reintroduction program. During the study, water characteristics of the wetland showed similar characteristics as KLNP, i.e., low pH (5.86 ± 0.30), high electrical conductivity (377.6 ± 5.55 μS m-1), high turbidity (32.36 ± 4.91 NTU), and high phosphate concentrations (0.79 ± 0.14mg L-1). Likewise, sediments showed high TP accumulation that ranged from 197.03 ± 0.75 to 332.88 ± 0.99mgkg-1 for KLNP and 245.18 ± 0.85 to 351.48 ± 0.71mgkg-1 for Pumlen pat, respectively. Both, the lone natural habitat and the proposed habitat showed deteriorating water quality. As such, continuous monitoring of KLNP and Pumlen pat water and sediment quality should be a priority during the management practices to protect the endangered deer and health of the habitats for long-term conservation.

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

Nitrous oxide (N 2 O) is an important atmospheric trace gas that contributes to the present global warning and is responsible for the destruction of stratospheric ozone. The emission of N 2 O from the natural freshwater wetland to the atmosphere is poorly understood. We investigated N 2 O flux using the static chamber method and their controlling factor in the freshwater wetland of Keibul Lamjao National Park (KLNP), Manipur. The overall mean N 2 O flux from the park was 0.10 ± 0.04 μg m −2 d −1 . Nitrous oxide emission showed evident seasonal changes, the highest flux occurring in the summer (with a mean value of 0.14 ± 0.02 μg m −2 d −1 ), while the lowest flux appeared in the winter (0.05 ± 0.01 μg m −2 d −1 ). There were significant seasonal variations of N 2 O emission. The NH 4 + – N and NO 3 − – N have a significantly positive correlation with N 2 O flux (p < 0.001). By comparing the slopes of the regression equations obtained between the emission of nitrous oxide and the content of NO 3 − – N and NH 4 + – N in water, we found that N 2 O flux were predominantly by NH 4 + – N. The results imply that nitrification played a crucial role in N 2 O emissions from the wetland park. Additionally, the decay of submerged macrophytes in the lake contributes to N 2 O flux, particularly during the summer. • KLNP is a wetland protected area in the Eastern Indian Himalayas. • N 2 O flux was measured in the wetland of KLNP. • The emission of N 2 O from the wetland showed seasonal variation. • Nitrification is the major contributor to the N 2 O emission in KLNP.

Studies on feeding behavior of Sangai deer (Rucervus eldii eldii) in Keibul Lamjao national park, Manipur (India)

The Sangai deer (Rucervus eldii eldii) is an endangered species which is found only in KeibulLamjao National Park, Manipur (India) with an area of 40 km2. Selection of observation point and direct observation method were utilized to record certain behavioral pattern shown by the Sangai deer. Determination of food resources were carried out to identified feed species during the observation hour. The finding of the present study shows that the behavioral activities were notice more in the morning (dawn) than evening (dusk). The most favorable food by Sangai deer were Zizania latifolia (Kambong), Pragmitis karka (Tou), Saccharum munja (Khoimom), Carex cruciata (Humdang), Learsia hexandra (Hup), Alpinanigra (Pullei) and Hydechiumcoronarium (Loklei). Amongst the favorable food species, the most preferable food by the Sangai deer is Zizania latifolia while some of the individuals were seen consuming ashes (Tanggoi) during the observation. Intrusion of domestic animals within the park area may lead to severe calamities which then lead to the spread of many harmful diseases to Sangai deer and its inhabitants. Shyness of animal and sensitive behaviors of Sangai deer was observed. Questionnaire surveys were carried out among 40 respondents. The result suggested that the status of feeding must be taken care so that there should not be any alteration or changes in their behavior due to intrusion, local vegetables collector and disturbances.

Predicting the current and future potential spatial distribution of endangered Rucervus eldii eldii (Sangai) using MaxEnt model.

Ecological factors that control the species distribution patterns at various spatiotemporal scales will get affected by climate change. To combat the situation, in the past few decades geographical information system (GIS) and remote sensing have been widely used by the researchers in the field of wildlife and habitat suitability modeling. The main objective of this study is to map and predict the current and future habitat suitability potential of Rucervus eldii eldii in Keibul Lamjao National Park (KLNP) using MaxEnt. Presence location data of the species, topographic factors, and bio-climatic variables were used as input in the MaxEnt software to map current habitat suitability potential. To map the habitat suitability potential for future, two representative concentration pathway (RCP) scenarios RCP 2.6 and RCP 8.5 for the years 2050 and 2070 were used. The model returned an average AUC value of 0.944 which indicates the model to be sensitive and descriptive. Isothermality and precipitation in the wettest quarter were found to be two most significant variables. The suitable range of precipitation in the wettest quarter for Rucervus eldii eldii varies from 1365 to 1410mm with an optimal value of 1405mm and isothermality from 46.43 to 46.6% with an optimal value of 46.5%. Current habitat suitability results of the model show 0.45 km2 of the area under no potential, 29.25 km2 of the area under least potential, 8.29 km2 of the area under moderate potential, 9.21 km2 of the area under good potential, and 8.82 km2 of the area under high potential. Both RCPs for the years 2050 and 2070 show the decreasing trend in the area under high suitability potential and increasing trend under no suitability potential. The results of this study can provide aid in the management and protection of Rucervus eldii eldii.

Demographic and genetic structure of a severely fragmented population of the endangered hog deer (Axis porcinus) in the Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspot.

The population of the globally endangered hog deer (Axis porcinus) has declined severely across its geographic range. Intensive monitoring of its demographic and genetic status is necessary. We examined the demographic and genetic structure of a small hog deer population in Keibul Lamjao National Park (KLNP), located on the western fringe of the Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspot for conservation planning. The distribution pattern of hog deer in the Park was derived based on the presence/absence of faecal pellets in 1 km × 1 km grids. We used double-observer distance sampling method to derive the hog deer abundance and population structure and compared with previous data to derive the population trend. We determined the genetic diversity of the population through microsatellite screening and bottleneck detection. The overall pellet density was 0.34 ± 0.02 pellets km-2 restricted to only 22.34 ± 0.20 km2 area of the park. The estimated density of the deer in the park was 1.82–4.32 individuals km-2. The population showed a declining trend from 2006–08 (p < 0.05, R2 = 0.916) with 8% annum-1 and an increasing trend from 2003–2018 (p < 0.05, R2 = 0.9304) with 10% annum-1. The adult male-to-female ratio and fawn-to-doe ratio were 36.2 ± 1.9 males per 100 females and 16.5 ± 0.4 fawns per 100 females, respectively. The molecular examination suggested that the mean number of alleles at 23 loci was 2.70 ± 0.18, the observed heterozygosity (Ho) ranged from 0.26 to 0.63 (mean 0.42 ± 0.02), the expected heterozygosity (He) ranged from 0.23 to 0.73 (χ = 0.51 ± 0.03), and the polymorphic information content (PIC) ranged from 0.2 to 0.67 (χ = 0.43 ± 0.03) indicating a moderate level of genetic diversity. Although no bottleneck in the population was observed, the loss of genetic diversity may affect the evolutionary potential of the species at the site by limiting the selection flexibility. Conservation planning coupled with scientific management regime will help in the long term persistence of the population in the region.

Effect of Simulated Harvesting on the Plant Composition in the Floating Grasslands of Keibul Lamjao National Park, Manipur

Effect of Simulated Harvesting on the Plant Composition in the Floating Grasslands of Keibul Lamjao National Park, Manipur

Multiproxy studies on dung of endangered Sangai (Rucervus eldii eldii) and Hog deer (Axis porcinus) from Manipur, India: Implications for paleoherbivory and paleoecology

Pollen and non-pollen palynomorph analyses of 16 summer and winter dung samples of two endangered deer species, Sangai (Rucervus eldii eldii M'clelland) and Hog deer (Axis porcinus Zimmermann) from Keibul Lamjao National Park of Manipur, northeast India, was undertaken to examine the dietary preferences of these species in relation to the vegetation and ecology of the region. Grass is the primary food for both the deer species, which though obvious based on direct observation, is also supported by our dataset, as indicated by the abundance of grass pollen and phytoliths in the dung assemblage. Additionally, marshy and aquatic taxa are present and indicative of the importance of these plants in the diet of both species and indicate the utilization of the perennial water-logged habitat present in the region. The relative abundance and diversity of arboreal taxa in the summer dung samples is consistent with the extant vegetation. Fungal spores, especially coprophilous fungi, were consistently present in the assemblage, although in low values. Energy Dispersive Spectroscopic (EDS) analysis on the dung samples indicates that silica content was higher in the winter season compared to the summer dung samples. Multivariate principal component analysis (PCA) was applied to the quantified data obtained from pollen and phytolith frequency analyses of the dung samples and clearly revealed a significant variation in vegetation types based on pollen and phytoliths. These generated data will be helpful to document and understand seasonal difference in dietary preferences and ecology of the two deer species along with the other associated herbivores in the region. The palynodata is also useful in tracing the relationship between modern pollen and vegetation, which is challenging to accomplish systematically due to seasonal flooding of the region.

Determination of resource based stocking density of wild ungulates living in the floating meadows of Keibul Lamjao National Park, India

The stocking density of the globally threatened Eld's deer (Rucervus eldii eldii) and hog deer (Axis porcinus), living in the floating meadows of Keibul Lamjao National Park, India, were derived from the forage demand of each species and the availability of forage biomass in the meadows. The biomass production was estimated by harvesting the above-ground biomass every month for 2 years from 432 plots of size 1 m × 1 m that were protected by ungulate-proof enclosures. The actual intake of the ungulates was estimated from the percentage of dry matter consumed for each food plant species through micro-histological analysis. The populations of Eld's deer and hog deer that the meadows can support were calculated on the basis of the consumable dry matter available in the park, considering the variable thickness of the floating meadows. The estimated overall stocking densities of Eld's deer and hog deer were 0.141 ± 0.06 and 0.265 ± 0.12 individuals ha−1 or 15,581.54 ± 1171.6 kg of ungulate biomass. The stocking density varied significantly with meadow type for both the species, being higher for thick meadows. The best available areas of the park having 864.29 ha, can support 170.41 ± 11.4 Eld's deer and 319.36 ± 22.94 hog deer or 17,356.38 ± 912.02 kg of ungulate biomass with a maximum of 173.6 ± 4.21 Eld's deer and 325.46 ± 9.45 hog deer or 17,684.56 ± 697.3 kg of ungulate biomass in the monsoon season. The thin meadows with an area of 732.34 ha can support another 119.37 ± 12.78 and 225.44 ± 23.88 Eld's deer and hog deer respectively or 12,201.35 ± 922.74 kg of ungulate biomass. In similar resource constraint habitat, this study will be helpful in determining the optimal stocking density for the science based management of rangelands, especially for the conservation of wild grazers.

Developing a Management Plan for Loktak Lake Considering Keibul Lamjao National Park and Hydropower Demand using a Data Driven Modeling Approach

Developing a Management Plan for Loktak Lake Considering Keibul Lamjao National Park and Hydropower Demand using a Data Driven Modeling Approach

Genetic analysis of endangered hog deer (Axis porcinus) reveals two distinct lineages from the Indian subcontinent

The hog deer (Axis porcinus) is threatened by habitat alteration, fragmentation, and poaching, which have led to a drastic decline of its wild population. Two subspecies of A. porcinus have been described from its distribution range. A. p. porcinus is reported to occur from Pakistan along the Himalayan foothills through Nepal, India and Myanmar, and A. p. annamiticus is found in Thailand, Indo-China, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam. However, the current distribution range of A. p. annamiticus is still unclear. We used the partial control region (CR) of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and seven microsatellite loci to investigate the intra-species structure, differentiation, and demographic history of hog deer populations from three landscapes, the Terai Arc, Northeast, and Indo-Burma (Keibul Lamjao National Park (KLNP), Manipur, India) landscapes. We also carried out divergence time estimation using the complete mitogenome. The level of variation was ~4%, and the time of divergence of the KLNP population and the other Indian populations was about 0.22 Mya, i.e., during the last glaciation periods of the Late Pleistocene/Early Holocene. The KLNP haplotypes of the control region were shared with the Southeast Asian subspecies, A. p. annamiticus. The results of the investigations of the microsatellite loci supported the mtDNA results unambiguously. Two genetically distinct lineages are found in India: one is found from the Terai Arc to Assam (A. p. porcinus) and the other in Manipur (A. p. annamiticus). The genetic diversity in KLNP was low and exhibited a higher degree of genetic differentiation compared with major Indian populations. The Bayesian skyline plots indicated that after a long phase of historic demographic stability, the populations of both the lineages of hog deer suffered pronounced declines during the period from ~800 years BP to 5000 years BP. In summary, our finding provided evidence that the KLNP population is probably a prime, isolated and sustaining stock of A. p. annamiticus and should be managed as evolutionarily significant units (ESUs).

Plant community structure of the floating meadows of a hypereutrophic wetland in the Indo-Burma Biodiversity Hotspot

Floating meadows are widespread globally, but ecological information on their vegetation structure and functions is lacking. We examined the structure and composition of the vegetation of the floating meadows of Keibul Lamjao National Park, Manipur, located in the Indo-Burma Biodiversity Hotspot. The floating meadows in the park are crucial for the survival of the globally threatened Eld’s deer (Rucervus eldii) and the hog deer (Axis porcinus). Vegetation data were collected from 936 plots of size 0.5 m × 0.5 m during winter and summer. The vegetation data were analyzed using two-way indicator species analysis (TWINSPAN) with PC-ORD version 4.20. Nine plant communities were observed in summer and eight in winter, with two communities being common to the two seasons. The overall Shannon and Simpson diversity indices, species richness and evenness of the communities varied significantly between summer and winter. The evenness (0.713) and diversity (H′, 1.335) indices in summer indicate high species diversity, which is mainly due to homogenous distribution of the species. The Ivlev Electivity Index (IVI) indicates that plant communities have a specific preference for meadow thickness, i.e., communities that prefer thick meadows avoid thin meadows. Competition among plant communities in terms of moisture and nutrient availability appears to be low due to the hypereutrophic condition of the lake and the floating nature of the meadows. But Capillipedium spp., Phragmites karka, Leersia hexandra and Zizania latifolia appear to exhibit monodominance, as indicated by their frequency and abundance in most of the communities. Protection of areas with thick meadow from further deterioration is crucial for the long-term conservation of the Eld’s deer and associated wild ungulates.

Flowering Calendar of the Macrophytes of Keibul Lamjao National Park, Loktak Lake, Manipur, India

Flowering Calendar of the Macrophytes of Keibul Lamjao National Park, Loktak Lake, Manipur, India

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

The Loktak Lake is a palustrine wetland located in the Barak-Chindwin river basin of Northeast India. The Lake is characterized by floating meadows of various thickness which support severely depleted endangered Eld's deer (Rucervus eldii) and sympatric hog deer (Axis porcinus). The southern part of the Lake is protected as Keibul Lamjao National Park as the last remaining habitat of the Eld's deer in India. The Loktak Lake has been included in the Montreux record as it is changing its ecological character due to anthropogenic pressures especially due to water pollution. We examined the seasonal pattern of water quality of Loktak Lake and compared it with the Keibul Lamjao National Park with a view to suggest measures for removal of this wetland from the Montreux record and for improved conservation. The evaluation of spatio-temporal variations in the water quality parameters over two years was carried out using multivariate statistical analysis. Hierarchical cluster analysis grouped the 11 sampling sites into four groups, less polluted, medium polluted, highly polluted and most polluted and the 12 months into three time periods. Principal Component Analysis identified three factors in the data structure which explained 92.9% of the total variance of the data set which was used to group the selected parameters according to common features and to evaluate the influence of each group on the overall variation in water quality. Significant difference in terms of water quality parameters were observed across different parts of the lake and seasons (ANOVA, p < 0.05). Our study revealed that the Loktak Lake is hypereutrophic leading to decreased water quality that has adverse impacts on ecosystem level processes. Restoration of the Lake requires an integrated approach in reduction of nutrient inputs, enhanced flushing mechanism and restoration of environmental flow which has been disrupted due to damming.

Flowering Calendar of the Macrophytes of Keibul Lamjao National Park, Loktak Lake, Manipur, India

&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;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.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;

A century later: Tricolored Pied Flat Coladenia indrani uposathra Fruhstorfer, 1911 (Hesperiidae: Pyrginae) and Crenulate Oakblue Apporasa atkinsoni Hewitson, 1869 (Lycaenidae: Theclinae) reported from Manipur, India

The present paper reports the rediscovery of the Tricolored Pied Flat Coladenia indrani uposathra Fruhstorfer, 1911 and Crenulated Oakblue Apporasa atkinsoni Hewitson, 1869 after about 99 years after they were sighted by Tytler (1915) in Irang river and Sebong of Manipur, North East India. C. i. uposathra was sighted a Keibul Lamjao National Park (KLNP) and Heibok hills of Imphal valley on 4th and 16th May 2014 and A. atkinsoni was sighted Munnom village at Yaingangpokpi Lokchao Wildlife Sanctuary (YLWS) on 8th December 2015. A. atkinsoni is protected under schedule II of Indian (Wildlife) Protection Act 1972. The rediscovery of such very rare species in Manipur shows that more survey is needed in hills and valley regions of Manipur to know the butterfly fauna of the region.

Zooplankton community of Keibul Lamjao National Park (KLNP) Manipur, India in relation to the physico-chemical variables of the water

Keibul Lamjao National Park (KLNP), a floating park in Loktak Lake, Manipur (India) was studied from Winter (WIN) to Post Monsoon (POM) for its zooplankton composition and some selected water parameters. The resultant data were subjected to multivariate techniques–Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA). Analyses of water parameters with PCA revealed that the first PC axis (PC1) accounts for maximum variance in the seasonal data, explaining a variability of 91%. The PCA revealed that the seasonal variability in water parameters was due to the wet and dry cycle of seasons and the stations were distinguished on the basis of transparency and turbidity. Zooplankton abundance was dominated by copepods followed by cladocerans. Temporally, abundance of copepods reached a maximum during Post-monsoon (POM) (3 880 ind./L). Spatially, S6 was found to be most abundant of the other stations in zooplankton. Copepodites and nauplii larvae were the major components of zooplankton. The Rotifera were the least abundant among the three zooplankton groups. Brachionus formed the major component of Rotifera zooplankton at all the stations during the study period. In the Cladocera, Macrothrix was present during all the four seasons, while Pleuroxus, Oxyurella, Kurzia and, Diaphanosoma were rare. The CCA shows that maximal temporal variability in zooplankton abundance was explained by temperature and rainfall. ANOVA revealed no significant diff erence in mean zooplankton abundance among the seasons, but there was a statistically significant diff erence among the sites.

Diversity pattern of habitats of Macrophytes in Keibul Lamjao National Park (KLNP), a floating mat (Phumdi) environment of Loktak Lake, Manipur, India

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.