Presence Of Aquatic Species Research Articles

<b>Breeding behaviour of the Coromandel Marsh Dart Damselfly (Zygoptera: Coenagrionidae: <I>Ceriagrion coromandelianum</I> (Fabricius)) in central India</b>

Ceriagrion coromandelianum (Fabricius) is one of the most common damselflies in the Indian subcontinent. It flies among bushes and breeds in stagnant pools, small garden tanks, tubs and ornamental cement ponds containing submerged and/or floating vegetation. The oviposition behaviour of C. coromandelianum was observed at the botanical garden of Hislop College, Nagpur, India, where small underground cement tubs are utilized to grow macrophytes. C. coromandelianum displays a refined hierarchy of preferences for oviposition and chooses floating leaves of Nymphaea nouchali (69%) over Lemna paucicostata (23%) and submerged Hydrilla verticillata (8%). In an uninterrupted oviposition bout, the female deposits 283 eggs in 16 rows (N=5) on the under surface of the N. nouchali leaf. The tiny leaves of L. paucicostata holds 7.8 eggs in 4.8 rows (N=10). In H. verticillata, the internode region of the stem can house 25.4 eggs (N=10). One or two eggs are also found neatly inserted in the thin leaf base of H. verticillata. Decaying plant material is never used for oviposition. The present investigation also clearly demonstrates that the choice of oviposition substrate not only depends upon the presence of aquatic species in the water body but also on the spatial location of the oviposition site.

RESEARCH ON WASTEWATER PHYTOREMEDIATION USING AQUATIC SPECIES FOR HEAVY METALS PHYTOEXTRACTION AND BIOACCUMULATION

Phytoremediation tests on heavy metals bioaccumulation were performed during 2012-2014 with aquatic species Lemna minor, Pistia stratiotes, Eichhornia crassipes, Vallisneria spiralis, Hydrilla verticillata, Cladophora glomerata on samples of contaminated waters collected from the toxic pond of waste landfill Som rd-Medias, Sibiu County. With the purpose to check the species capacity for heavy metal removal and bioaccumulation, comparative analysis of water samples was performed. Three types of experimental waters for each species have been used: drinking plain water as blank; water collected from the toxic pond of Som rd waste landfills; water with 1/2 dilution from the toxic pond of Som rd waste landfills. The study was conducted in micro containers with contaminated water using constructed wetlands. The bioaccumulation of heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Ni, Zn, Pb, Fe, Cr) in the green tissue samples (mg/kg dry matter) have been measured after the phytoremediation process. The statistical analysis was performed, based on the determination of microelements with flame atomic absorption spectrometry (ZEEnit 700 Analytik Jena) method. The results have shown that: L. minor plants P. stratiotes and E. crassipes plants were able to extract and to accumulate Cu, Pb, Ni, Fe, Zn, Cr, Cd in their tissues. V. spiralis and H. verticillata plants were able to extract Cr, Cd. The green algae C. glomerata was able to extract Pb, Zn, Cr, Cd. This study has shown that the presence of aquatic species in the toxic pond water have important effects on wastewater phytoremediation in period of two weeks. In order to implement this biotechnology, the tests results have shown a great positive influence of the phytoremediation of contaminated waters using aquatic species in constructed wetlands.