Ramsar Site In India Research Articles

Assessing the health of wetland using the PSR approach with reference to the Renuka Ramsar Site, India.

Wetlands are important ecosystems, and few of them, owing to unique characteristics, have been designated the status of Ramsar sites under the convention of wetlands. Despite the status, few of these wetlands are under threat owing to their social importance. Renuka wetland is one such important Ramsar site in India, which is culturally an embodiment of the Goddess Renuka ji. An international fair is held every year at the lake which attracts thousands of pilgrims and tourists. This event is one of the major contributors to anthropogenic risk; other pressures are siltation, pollution, land use activities, and invasive species. Under such a scenario, it becomes important to assess the health of wetlands to take timely decisions about their management. This study evaluates the health of Renuka wetland, using the Pressure State and Response (PSR) model. Relevant data related to the wetland and its catchment from a wide spectrum of sources, namely, field, laboratory, and remote sensing were combined to assess the health of the wetland. Ten indicators were identified, and Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) was used to assign weights to the indicators. The wetland health index of Renuka wetland is 0.35, indicating that the lake is in poor condition exhibiting degraded functioning, high external pressure, low vigor, poor resilience, and stability. The study also revealed that the water quality deteriorates post-fair. Thus, the wetland needs attention in terms of management so that the health of the lake improves and is sustained in the future. The study contributes to Sustainable Development Goal 6.6 which focuses on protecting and restoring water-related ecosystems and aims at healthier ecosystems.

Evaluation of heavy metal speciation in waters of Hirakud reservoir: a Ramsar site in India.

The growing concern of aquatic heavy metal (HM) pollution is dependent on the toxic nature of its bio-available form. Thus, bio-availability is guided by the HM fractionation in water. This study was therefore conducted to evaluate the spatial impact on physicochemical fractionation of HM (Zn, Mn, Cu, and Fe) in the waters of the Hirakud reservoir in India. Speciation along different pores using a filtration technique was adopted to fractionate the HMs in water samples. The result suggests that the water of the study area is polluted with Cu (0.22-0.35mg/L), Mn (0.15-0.23mg/L), and Fe (1.90-3.10mg/L) that have crossed their permissible limits while Zn (0.17-0.97mg/L) was within the permissible standard. When studied for physical partitioning, the right dyke was comparatively more polluted than the left dyke. While the water samples were dominated by the dissolved fraction of heavy metals, it was construed that a large proportion of the HMs are in bio-available form. Further, a distinct impact of spatial variation on metal fractionation was also evident in the study with PCA revealing site-specific behaviour. Therefore, it can be concluded that multiple anthropogenic activities lead to the distribution and fractionation of HMs in water.

Characterization and ecological risk assessment of microplastics accumulated in sea water, sand, sediment, shell water and selected tissues of hermit crab of Sundarban Biosphere Reserve

Sundarban, a Ramsar site of India, has been encountering an ecological threat due to the presence of microplastic (MP) wastes generated from different anthropogenic sources. Clibanarius longitarsus, an intertidal hermit crab of Sundarban Biosphere Reserve, resides within the abandoned shell of a gastropod mollusc, Telescopium telescopium. We characterized and estimated the MP in the gills and gut of hermit crab, as well as in the water present in its occupied gastropod shell. The average microplastic abundance in sea water, sand and sediment were 0.175 ± 0.145 MP L−1, 42 ± 15.03 MP kg−1 and 67.63 ± 24.13 MP kg−1 respectively. The average microplastic load in hermit crab was 1.94 ± 0.59 MP crab−1, with 33.89 % and 66.11 % in gills and gut respectively. Gastropod shell water exhibited accumulation of 1.69 ± 1.43 MP L−1. Transparent and fibrous microplastics were documented as the dominant polymers of water, sand and sediment. Shell water exhibited the prevalence of green microplastics followed by transparent ones. Microscopic examination revealed microplastics with 100–300 μm size categories were dominant across all abiotic compartments. ATR-FTIR and Raman spectroscopy confirmed polyethylene and polypropylene as the prevalent polymers among the five identified polymers of biotic and abiotic components. The target group index indicated green and black as the preferable microplastics of crab. The ecological risk analysis indicated a considerable level of environmental pollution risk in Sundarban and its inhabiting organisms. This important information base may facilitate in developing a strategy of mitigation to limit the MP induced ecological risk at Sundarban Biosphere Reserve.

Fractionation of sediment organic carbon in Hirakud reservoir: a Ramsar site in India

Fractionation of sediment organic carbon in Hirakud reservoir: a Ramsar site in India

Spatio-temporal variation in water quality due to the anthropogenic impact in Rudrasagar Lake, a Ramsar site in India.

Rudrasagar Lake, a vital habitat for diverse flora and fauna, supports over 2000 households to sustain their daily livelihoods. The current study attempts to examine the impact of human activities on spatio-temporal variation in the water quality of the study area. The study integrates extensive field surveys, sample processing, and statistical analysis to assess the recent status of wetland health. Latin Square Matrix (LSM) was employed to select the sampling sites while the Inverse Distance Weighting (IDW) interpolation technique was used for spatial variation mapping. Modified Weighted Arithmetic Water Quality Index (MWAWQI) and Comprehensive Pollution Index (CPI) were utilized for assessing seasonal variation water quality and pollution loads, respectively. The results showed that dissolved oxygen (DO) was strongly influenced by the tributaries, and recreational activities have substantially influenced the highest concentrations of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), and total suspended solids (TSS). The central portion of the lake is particularly susceptible to pollution from extensive fishing and recreational activities while peripheral sites are strongly influenced by agricultural run-offs, seepages from brick industries, and municipal wastes characterized by high concentrations of pH, total hardness (TH), oxidation-reduction potential (ORP). The findings reveal remarkable spatio-temporal fluctuations and highlight the areas within the lake susceptible to anthropogenic activities. The study proposed a sustainable management model to ameliorate anthropogenic threats. Moreover, the study contributes to the scientific understanding of the challenges and ensures the long-term viability of wetland health as a vital ecological and socio-economic resource.

Assessment of mercury accumulation in various tissues of rice plant (Oryza sativa L.) from a Ramsar site in India

Dietary exposure to mercury through rice consumption is an issue of solemn global concern. The favourable bio-geochemical environment of paddy fields often makes them potential mercury cycling hotspots. India is one of the largest producers and consumers of rice globally. To date, studies focusing on mercury bioaccumulation in rice during the different stages of its growth cycle have not been studied in Indian agro-ecosystems.This inturn resulted in a knowledge gap in the global mercury assessment. Being a party to the Minamata Convention, there is an urgent need to unravel the scenario of mercury contamination in rice, one of the staple food crops across the world. In the present study, total mercury (THg) in the rhizosphere soil as well as its accumulation in different tissues of the rice plant were examined by a field investigation in Kuttanad – a unique Ramsar site in Kerala, India. For the purpose of the study five permanent plots were selected and monitored for the entire rice-growing season (from the 30th to the 120th day). Direct Mercury Analyzer (DMA – 80, Milestone, USA) was used for analyzing THg in rhizosphere soil and plant tissues. Mercury concentration in soils varied from 0.037 mg/kg to 0.117 mg/kg with a mean concentration of 0.088 mg/kg. The THg accumulation pattern in plant tissues followed the order: root > leaf > grain > husk > stem. The mean THg concentration in rice grains was 0.22 mg/kg. The low values for bioaccumulation factor (0.616) and translocation factor (0.425) revealed that a major portion of mercury accumulated by the plant is stored in the roots.

Microplastics contamination in two species of gobies and their estuarine habitat of Indian Sundarbans

Sundarbans, a Ramsar site of India is contaminated with heterogeneous microplastic wastes. Boddart's goggle eye mudskipper and Rubicundus eelgoby, were common gobies of Sundarbans estuary which accumulated microplastics during their normal biological activities. We estimated the abundance of microplastics in water, sediment; skin, gills, bucco-opercular cavity and gastrointestinal tract of these two goby fishes. Microplastic load estimated in gobies were 0.84 and 2.62 particles per fish species with a dominance of transparent, fibrous microplastics with 100–300 μm in length. ATR-FTIR and Raman spectroscopy revealed polyethylene as prevalent polymer. Surface degradations and adsorption of contaminants on microplastic surface were investigated by SEM-EDX analysis. Presence of hazardous polymers influenced high polymer hazard index and potential ecological risk index which indicated acute environmental threat to Sundarbans estuary and its resident organisms. Current study will provide a new information base on the abundance of microplastics and its ecological hazard in this biosphere reserve.

Application of Multivariable Statistical and Geo-Spatial Techniques for Evaluation of Water Quality of Rudrasagar Wetland, the Ramsar Site of India

The water quality of Rudrasagar Lake, the second-largest natural reservoir of Tripura is of great ecological and economic importance as it serves a diverse range of purposes, including fishing, irrigation, aquaculture, domestic use, and recreation activities. This study investigates the water quality of the study area, an esteemed Ramsar site in North Eastern India, using a combined application of multivariable statistical and geospatial techniques. In this study, 24 water samples were designed based on their use and collected along the periphery and the inner areas of the lake employing the Latin Square Matrix. This research also examines the spatial variations of water quality involving quartile-based water quality categorization of parameters, with Pearson’s Correlation analysis, Principal Component Analysis (PCA), and Hierarchy Cluster Analysis (HCA) applied for dimension reduction. The analysis involved quartile-based water quality categorization of parameters, with PCA and HCA applied for dimension reduction. Meanwhile, the Inverse distance weighted (IDW) approach was used to interpolate the spatial distribution of the quartile score using the ArcGIS platform. The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) was followed for water quality assessment. The results revealed significant spatial variation, providing valuable insights for future water management strategies. PCA indicates 57.26% of the variance in the dataset, whereas samples were classified into three subgroups and two groups in a dendrogram representing the result of the HCA. This study demonstrates the utility of PCA, HCA, and IDW interpolation in water quality assessment, highlighting the effect of human-induced activities in the lake’s vicinity.

Fish assemblage and guild structure in the Ashtamudi Estuary, a tropical Ramsar site in India

A first hand study on guild structure of fish species (n = 148) in Ashtamudi Estuary, a Ramsar Site of International importance, was carried out from May 2019 to April 2020 based on temporal (monsoon, pre-monsoon and post-monsoon seasons) and spatial (upper, middle and lower zones) data. Guild composition consisted of eight estuarine use guilds (marine estuarine opportunist, marine estuarine dependent, estuarine resident species, anadromous species, freshwater migrants, freshwater stragglers, catadromous and marine stragglers) and eight feeding guilds (zooplanktivore, zoobenthivore, carnivores, herbivores, invertebrate feeders, omnivores, detritus feeders and piscivores). The most dominant estuarine use guilds comprised of marine migrants (marine estuarine opportunist and marine estuarine dependent), whereas carnivore, omnivore and zooplanktivore formed the dominant feeding guilds in Ashtamudi Estuary. The species diversity decreased from upper to lower zone and was highest during the post-monsoon period. The present study has seen a decrease in estuarine resident and freshwater species due to reduced freshwater inflow, saltwater intrusion, unsustainable fishing and inadequate environmental management practices. Hence, we propose a management framework to improve the ecosystem of Ashtamudi Estuary with a special focus on its fish species and their estuarine use.

WATER QUALITY INDEX AS A TOOL TO ASSESS WATER QUALITY OF SASTHAMKOTTA FRESHWATER WETLAND, A RAMSAR SITE IN INDIA

Lakes are versatile ecosystems thatperform valuable functions such as recycling nutrients,attenuating floods, recharging groundwater and also serve the water needs of the human populace.Nowadaysthe quality of surface water is getting deteriorating at a rapid pace due to excess waterwithdrawal and various anthropogenic activities. In this study, the water quality status ofSasthamkotta lake, a fresh water wetland in the south western part of India which is also a Ramsarsite is determined in terms of Central Pollution Control Board National Sanitation FoundationWater Quality Index. The study was carried out from the month of October 2018 to the month ofSeptember 2019 and parameters namely dissolved oxygen, faecal coliform, pH and biochemicaloxygen demand were analysed to determine the water quality status of the lake and the same wasmapped using Geographical Information System. It was found that major part of the lake comesunder the category good (Central Pollution Control Board National Sanitation Foundation WaterQuality index [CPCB-NSFWQI] ranging from 78 to 80). Localised moderately good water quality(CPCB-NSFWQI ranging from 76 to 78) was observed at sampling stations namely Bharanikkavuand Anjalimooduand very good water quality(CPCB-NSFWQI ranging from 80 to 82) was foundat the sampling stationnamely Kerala Water Authority main pumping station during the postmonsoonand the pre-monsoon season respectively. It was also found that the major portion of thenorth eastern part of lake comes under moderately good water quality during the monsoon season.Densely populated catchment area of the lake, physical setting of the lake characterised by steepslopes on three sides and excess runoff during rainfall could be attributed to the moderately goodwater quality of the lake. Water quality parameters namely faecal coliform exceeded thepermissible limits as per the Bureau of Indian Standards for drinking purpose at all the samplingstations throughout the study period. The designated best use of Sathamkotta lake belongs to thecategory ClassA (non-polluted source) (as per the various classes given by the Central PollutionControl Board based on the CPCB-NSFWQI values obtained during the study period.

Influence of land cover features on avian community and potential conservation priority areas for biodiversity at a Ramsar site in India

BackgroundWetlands provide diverse ecological services to sustain rich biodiversity, but they are recklessly exploited around the globe. East Kolkata Wetlands (EKW; Ramsar site No. 1208, ~ 125 km2) was once very rich in faunal diversity that declined over the years due to various anthropogenic pressures. In such scenarios, effective management plans need to contemplate local and landscape level initiatives and prioritize areas for conservation. Studying the foraging guild structure and spatial patterns of relationship between bird and its environment provides important insight of ecological processes of avifauna. Thus, we carried out extensive surveys in 142 point count stations to explore the diversity and foraging guild structure of birds in EKW. We addressed two important questions that how bird diversity varied from the outer periphery of the city towards the wetlands and how bird diversity is influenced by land cover features at local and landscape level in wetland complex. The goal of this study was to prepare a spatial map of avian diversity and to find the conservation priority areas for birds in this internationally recognized wetland complex.ResultsWe recorded 94 species of birds and the Shannon diversity index values ranged between 1.249 and 3.189. We found that the avian diversity increased with increasing distance from city periphery. Omnivores and insectivores were the dominant foraging guilds, followed by carnivores, granivores, frugivores and piscivores. Generalized Linear Models revealed that bird communities were positively influenced by areas of wetlands, dikes and banks, agricultural field and emergent vegetation, and negatively influenced by built-up area. In the projected spatial map of species diversity, 74.15 km2 area has high diversity. Finally, we identified 12.82 km2 of top 10% conservation priority areas.ConclusionsLow bird diversity near city periphery is related to habitat degradation due to anthropogenic pressure. Dominance of omnivores and insectivores indicates a possible impact of urbanization in EKW. We suggest that a mix of agricultural field, wetland areas and emergent vegetation helps to sustain a greater avian community. Besides, protection of conservation priority areas, restoration of the degraded habitats and reduction of threats (particularly in the north-eastern parts of EKW near the city periphery) will ensure the conservation of avifauna, and also the overall biodiversity of EKW.

Fish fauna of Asan Wetland, Dehradun district, Uttarakhand, India

Located on the Dehradun district, the Asan conservation Reserve is the 38th Ramsar site in India and first in the state of Uttarakhand. The wetland at Asan Barrage, is situated near the confluence of two perennial rivers Asan and Yamuna near Dehradun. The lake attracts large number of waterfowl and fish species. The present study encompasses the fish diversity of Asan Wetland. The wetland was divided into four different sampling zones. It was observed that 25 fish species belonging to 9 families were occurred in the wetland, out of these fish species, family Cyprinidae was observed as most abundant.

Diversity of aquatic insects and biomonitoring of water quality in the upper Ganga River, a Ramsar site: a preliminary assessment

Monitoring of freshwater habitats through aquatic insects is widely used. A study was carried out in March, 2019 at 14 sites in the Upper Ganga River between Brijghat and Narora, a riverine Ramsar site in India, to document the diversity of three major aquatic predatory insect groups—Odonata, Coleoptera, and Hemiptera—and determine their biomonitoring potential. The study recorded three species of Coleoptera, four Hemiptera, 14 dragonflies, and eight damselflies. The Shannon diversity index (H′) ranged from 2.465 to 2.782, Pielou’s Evenness index (J′) from 0.841 to 0.894, and Berger–Parker index of dominance (d) from 0.122 to 0.243. Families Libellulidae (Odonata), Coenagrionidae (Odonata) and Gerridae (Hemiptera) had high relative abundance and dominant status. The stream invertebrate grade number-average level (SIGNAL2) score (for family) ranged from 2.316 to 3.174, lying within quadrant 2 of the SIGNAL2 (family) quadrant diagram. This suggested that the water in the area is likely to have high levels of turbidity, salinity, or nutrients, caused naturally or by anthropogenic activities, and the water has low levels of most toxic chemicals.

Carbon sequestration by horticultural plants in East Calcutta Wetlands ecosystem, a Ramsar Site in India

East Calcutta Wetlands (ECW) located at the eastern fringe of Kolkata metropolitan, India designated as a Ramsar Site (No. 1208). ECW receives municipal solid wastes and composite wastewater from the city and local artisans use this for horticulture, agriculture and pisciculture practices. Horticulture designated as ‘green industry’ sequester significant amount of carbon (C) in plant biomass and in soil, therefore, helps to mitigate greenhouse gases and combat against global climate change. Six horticultural plant species commonly cultivated in ECW ecosystems were selected for present study. C sequestration potential of horticultural plants depends on plant biomass and plant density in cultivation fields. Highest amount of C was sequestered (40.76±6.73 ton ha-1) by ixora, a perennial plant in plant biomass. In case of basil, also a perennial plant, significant portion of the living plant biomass was exported from ECW as economically important parts which constitute 5.79±0.96 ton ha-1 C. Highest amount of soil organic carbon (SOC) was recorded from marigold fields (50.36±24.88 ton ha-1) which also constitute highest amount of C (34.37±5.67 ton ha-1) in residual parts (RP). Horticulture practices can sequester more amount of C in the ecosystem either by residual parts or remaining living plant biomass than agricultural practices.

Study of habitat quality assessment using geospatial techniques in Keoladeo National Park, India.

Wetlands are one of the most productive ecosystems on the Earth. They are generally considered a transitional state between terrestrial-aquatic habitats and provide numerous vital ecosystem services to mankind. Wetlands are under a tremendous pressure due to growing human interference, urbanization, conventional agriculture, industrial expansions, and overexploitation of ecological services. The Keoladeo National Park (KNP) is a manmade wetland, world heritage site and a designated Ramsar site in India, widely known for its avian biodiversity. Due to insufficient amount of water supply and widespread invasion of Prosopis juliflora, notable spatio-temporal changes are observed in the land cover affecting habitat quality of the park. The present study is designed to highlight the importance of very high-resolution satellite data for characterization of the wetland ecosystem. It assesses the spatio-temporal dynamics of land use/land cover (LULC) and habitat quality, a model built in the InVEST (Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs) tool, is utilized to analyze the effect of land cover changes and increase in P. juliflora on habitat quality in the park. The study concludes that drastic changes in LULC and rampant spread of P. juliflora have deteriorated the quality of habitat for bird species. Furthermore, it highlights importance of geospatial tools in mapping, monitoring, and managing wetland ecosystems.

Association of metals with geochemical phases in wetland soils of a Ramsar site in India.

Mobilization of metals in wetland ecosystems is a function of the behaviour of a specific metal species and is dependent largely on the prevailing micro-environmental conditions. Apparently, five different chemical forms of metals are known with varying affinity to binding sites, mobility, bioavailability and toxicity. Quantification of these forms of metals in the soils is imperative in predicting their biogeochemical fate and toxicity. In this context, we examined the association of Cu, Pb and Zn, with various geochemical phases in the soil profile of wetland system of Keoladeo National Park, a Ramsar site in India. The assessment covered the soil profile until 100cm depth at every 25-cm intervals. Different operationally defined geochemical phases in the soil at different depths were examined during the study for respective metal concentrations. Hydrous oxides of Fe-Mn were the major carrier for all the three metals and the fraction associated with exchangeable phase was the least. The low organic matter content in the soil seems to be influencing the metal association with the organic matter (OM-S) phase, which was also a less preferred carrier for metals. For Cu (5.8-78.4%) and Pb (33.5-88.5%), Fe-Mn hydroxide phase was an important binding site and for Zn (31.02-79.03%), it was the silicate mineral matrix (RES phase). This suggests the importance of micro-environmental conditions in the wetland bed such as redox and pH in mobilization of metals. As metals such as Pb have high eco-toxicological potential, an assessment of fractional concentrations of metals provides insights into their mobility and bioavailability in aquatic ecosystems. This aids wetland managers to develop appropriate strategy to maintain quality of inflow water, the single most crucial factor for a wetland ecosystem, and thus controls the micro-environmental conditions.

Population characteristics of Villorita cyprinoides in Vembanad Lake, India

ABSTRACTKrishna AV, Ammini P. 2017. Population characteristics of Villorita cyprinoides in Vembanad Lake, India. Lake Reserv Manage. 34:130—140.The Vembanad Lake system (VLS), the largest Ramsar site in India, faces a major ecological crisis because of reclamation. The lake ranks first in the production of the black clam (Villorita cyprinoides). In this study, we investigated the distribution patterns of V. cyprinoides, and reports that the central region of the VLS sustained the highest population density of the black clam. The average density of black clams ranged from 10 to 15,558 individuals/m2, with average sizes ranging from 2 to 40 mm. The average size at maturity was 20 mm. Further, we employed the use of population parameters as a tool to determine their exploitation status in the VLS. The rate of exploitation (E) of V. cyprinoides (0.763) was higher than the maximum exploitation rate (Emax; 0.529), clearly suggesting its overexploitation in the central region. This finding corroborated well with the size distribution analysis indicating that the legal harvestable size of 20 mm was the lowest size fraction in the sediment samples. Although population parameter tools have been used for many fish and shellfish species in the past, our study, the first on black clams in Indian waters, suggest that V. cyprinoides is overexploited in the central region, and conservation measures should be considered. Further, the study demonstrates the utility of population parameters, such as the rate of exploitation, for identifying zones within an ecosystem that warrant conservation for sustainable exploitation of fisheries resources.

Valuation of provisional and cultural services of a Ramsar site: A preliminary study on Rudrasagar lake, India

<p>Rudrasagar lake, a Ramsar site in India offers a variety of ecosystem services. The contribution of Rudrasagar lake to the society has not been estimated so far. The preliminary study aims to provide an economic valuation of the provisional and cultural services of the Rudrasagar lake. Official records of revenue collected by the Tourism Department of Tripura and a socio- economic survey was the source of information used in the economic valuation of the lake. The main provisional services provided by the lake are food (aquatic plants and fishes), fuel wood and timber whereas, the cultural services provided were boat raiding and tourism due to its historical importance. The provisioning and cultural services provided by the Rudrasagar lake are 40810 US$ and 33929.33 US$ per year respectively during the period of 2010-2015. The main threats to the wetland identified are increasing silt loads due to deforestation, expansion of agricultural land and land conversion due to population pressure. To alleviate the anthropogenic stress on the lake, better monitoring, planning and management are essential. By proper conservation and management it will be possible to enjoy the provisional and cultural services of the lake in a sustainable way.</p>

Fish Catch Composition and Biodiversity Indices at Harike Wetland-A Ramsar Site in India

The present study was carried out to evaluate the fish biodiversity and catch composition in Harike Wetland, Punjab. Total 37 fish species were recorded from Harike wetland and these belong to 14 families and 25 genera. Maximum number of species (16) recorded under family Cyprinidae followed by Bagridae (4 species) and Siluridae (3 species). Maximum number of species was recorded in May and minimum in July. Dendrogram from Bray-Curtis similarity matrix revealed close association among family Bagridae, Siluridae Channidae Notopteridae and family Cyprinidae dominated the catch composition and established as the controlling factor of the overall fish catch composition in the Harike wetland. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) ordination of the fish family revealed family Cyprinidae contributed the maximum variability. Shannon's index revealed light polluted nature of Harike wetland during pre-monsoon whereas, during the monsoon moderate polluted nature of Harike wetland has been observed. Pielou's evenness index revealed moderate evenness of the abundance of the fish population in Harike wetland. Margalef Richness Index revealed richness in fish biodiversity of this wetland. It can be concluded that despite of different natural and anthropogenic disturbances the wetland is still supporting a good number of fish species which is to be conserved.

Microplastic pollution in Vembanad Lake, Kerala, India: The first report of microplastics in lake and estuarine sediments in India

We present the first study of microplastics in the sediments of Vembanad Lake, a Ramsar site in India. Microplastics are emerging pollutants of increasing environmental concern with a particle size of <5 mm, which originate from successive degradation of larger plastic debris or are manufactured as small granules and used in many applications. The impact of microplastics pollution on the environment and biota is not well known. Vast data exist in the literature on marine microplastics while reports on freshwater ecosystems are scarce. In this context, to examine the occurrence of microplastic particles (MPs) in the Vembanad Lake, samples were collected from ten sites and processed for microplastic extraction through density separation. Identification of the polymer components of MPs was done using micro Raman spectroscopy. MPs were recovered from all sediment samples, indicating their extensive distribution in the lake. The abundance of MPs recorded from the sediment samples is in the range of 96–496 particles m−2 with a mean abundance of 252.80 ± 25.76 particles m−2. Low density polyethylene has been identified as the dominant type of polymer component of the MPs. As clams and fishes are the major source of protein to the local population, the presence of MPs in the lake becomes critically important, posing a severe threat of contaminating the food web of this lake. This study, being the first report from India on MPs in lake sediments, provide impetus for further research on the distribution and impact of this emerging pollutant on the biota of many aquatic systems spread across India.