Journal of Environmental Research And Development
J. Environ. Res. Develop.
Vol. 7 No. 2A, October-December 2012
PLANKTON BIODIVERSITY OF SIDDHESHWAR DAM IN
HINGOLI, MAHARASHTRA, INDIA
Shaikh Parveen R.* and Bhosle Arjun B.
School of Earth Sciences, Swami Ramanand Teerth Marathwada University, Vishnupuri, Nanded
Maharashtra (INDIA)
Received September 10, 2012
Accepted December 10, 2012
ABSTRACT
The present study deals with the survey of phytoplanktonic and zooplanktonic communities
from Siddheshwar reservoir of Maharashtra state, India during July 2009 to June 2011.
Presently, 24 phytoplankton genera representing various classes viz: Chlorophyceae (7),
Bacillariophyceae (6), Zygnematophyceae (4), Cyanophyceae (2), Flagillariophyceae (2),
Ulvophyceae (1), Trebouxiphyceae (1) and Euglenoidea (1) were recorded and the
Chlorophyceae formed the dominant class. A total ten Zooplankton genera, three belonging to
Monogononta, three to Branchiopoda, two to Maxillopoda, two to Ostracoda and one to Ciliatea
were recorded.
Key Words : Drinking water, Zooplankton, Siddheshwar dam, Phytoplankton, Biodiversity
INTRODUCTION
Planktons are the groups of microscopic plants
and animals which are minute and able to spend
their whole life floating in the water is called as
planktons. The name plankton was given by
Hansen. Plankton has very flexible locomotary
organs. They are unable to move rapidly and also
unable to determine direction of their movement.
However, they are simply drifted with the current
of water and cannot move against the direction of
flow. Planktons consisting of plant part called as
phytoplanktons while planktons which are of
animal origin are called as zooplanktons.
Planktons occur in all natural water bodies like
ponds, rivers, lakes and dams.
Because of their short life cycles, plankters
respond quickly to environmental chances and
hence their standing crop and species
composition are more likely to indicate the
quality of the water mass in which they are
found. They strongly influence certain non
biological aspects of water quality (such as pH,
colour, taste and odour) and in a very practical
sense, they are a part of water quality. Certain
taxa often are useful in determining the origin or
recent history of a given water mass. Because of
their transient nature and often patchy
distribution, however, the utility of plankters as
*Author for correspondence
water quality indicators may be limited.
Information on plankton as indicators is
interpreted best in conjunction with concurrently
collected, physicochemical and other biological
data.1
Phytoplankton constitutes the very basic of
nutritional cycle of an aquatic ecosystem. They
form a bulk of food for zooplankton, fish and
other aquatic organisms. The maintenance of a
healthy aquatic ecosystem is dependent on the
abiotic properties of water and the biological
diversity of the ecosystem.2 Phytoplankton
functions as the primary producers in the aquatic
biotopes. Hence, the quality and quantity of
phytoplankton population bear much influence
on the production potential of an aquatic
ecosystem. Moreover, the role of phytoplankton
in regulating the earth’s temperature is worth
mentioning.3
Some species flourish in highly eutrophic waters
while others are very sensitive to organic and
chemical wastes. Some species develop noxious
blooms, sometimes creating offensive tastes and
odours or anoxic or toxic conditions resulting in
animal deaths or human illness. The species
assemblage of phytoplankton and zooplankton
also may be useful in assessing water quality.4
Although a number of workers5-9 have studied
the dynamics of phytoplankton of freshwater
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bodies of India. The taxonomy and distribution
of zooplankton in different water bodies
reported by a number of investigators.10-12
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
The present study gives an account of
biodiversity with reference to phytoplankton
and zooplankton from surface water body.
Study area
Siddheshwar dam constructed on Purna River
at Siddheshwar village in the Aundha Taluka,
Hingoli district of Maharashtra state, India The
river Purna, a tributary of Godavari River rises
in the hills of Aurangabad district and after a
winding course of about 250 miles, it joins
Godavari below Purna Railway Junction.
Siddheshwar dam serve as an important source
of several benefits and facilities to the region
of Hingoli, Parbhani and Nanded districts. This
has been selected for carrying out the present
research work. It is situated at Northern part of
Marathwada region of Maharashtra. The
location of dam is at 19035’-19040’ N latitude
7605’-770E longitude.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
Limnological investigations were carried out
during July 2009 to June 2011. Plankton’s
samples were collected from freshwater using
plankton net. Take a drop of well mixed water
by slightly shaking on a clean slide place the
cover slip on it or with the help of zero point
brush take the material and put it on the slide.
Now cover it with the cover slip. Adjust the
microscope observe under 10X.Now turn the
lens towards under high power using oil
emmersion object if required. Identifications
were made following APHA.13
J. Environ. Res. Develop.
Vol. 7 No. 2A, October-December 2012
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Altogether 24 taxa of phytoplankton were found
during the study period(Fig. 1). Out of which
seven taxa belong to Chlorophyceae, six to
Bacillario-phyceae, four to Zygnematophyceae,
two to Cyanophyceae, two to Flagillariophyceae,
one to Ulvophyceae, Trebouxiphyceae and
Eugleno-idea.(Fig. 2)
Chlorophyceae formed the largest group of
phytoplankton contributing 29.16 %.The class
contributed 16.66 % of total phytoplankton
forming the third largest class of phytoplankton.
This group was formed the second largest group
of phytoplankton with average contribution of 25
% to the total phytoplankton types. The classes
contributed same values i.e. 8.33 % of total
phytoplankton. Among these groups each group
showing average contribution of 4.16 % to the
total phytoplankton types. (Fig. 3)
Anitha and Singara found phytoplanktons
belonging
from classes Chlorophyceae,
Bacillariophyceae,
Cyanophyceae
and
Euglenophyceae during July 1999 to June 2001
from Lower Manar Dam and Kakatiya canal,
Karimnagar, Andhra Pradesh, India.14,15 About 10
taxa of zooplankton were found during the study
period. Among all observed zooplanktons these
formed the largest group of zooplankton
contributing 30 % to the total zooplankton types.
The class contributed 20 % of total zooplankton.
Among these groups each group showing
average contribution of 10 % to the total
zooplankton types. Rajalakshmi and Shakila
observed
zooplankton
like
Cyclops,
Paramecium, Pleurotrocha, Amoeba, Daphnia,
Uronema and Keratella from Kendikulam pond
at Peravurani, Thanjavur. Also they found some
phytoplankton.13
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Protista
Division: Chlorophyta
Class: Chlorophyceae
Order: Oedogoniales
Genus: Oedogonium
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Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Viridiplantae
Phylum: Chlorophyta
Class: Chlorophyceae
Order: Sphaeropleales
Family: Selenastraceae
Genus: Ankistrodesmus
Kingdom: Protista
Division: Chlorophyta
Class: Chlorophyceae
Order: Volvocales
Family: Chlamydomonadaceae
Genus: Chlamydomonas
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Chlorophyta
Class: Chlorophyceae
Order: Chlorococcales
Genus: Hydrodictyon
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Viridiplantae
Phylum: Chlorophyta
Class: Chlorophyceae
Order: Chlamydomonadales
Family: Chlamydomonadaceae
Genus: Carteria
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Kingdom: Protista
Phylum: Chlorophyta
Class: Chlorophyceae
Order: Volvocales
Family: Volvocaceae
Genus: Pandorina
Kingdom: Protista
Phylum: Chlorophyta
Class: Chlorophyceae
Order: Volvocales
Family: Volvocaceae
Genus: Volvox
Domain: Eukaryota
Department : Diatoms
(Bacillariophyta)
Class : Bacillariophyceae
Procedure : Naviculales
Family : Stauroneidaceae
Genus : Stauroneis
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Chromalveolata
Phylum: Heterokontophyta
Class : Bacillariophyceae
Genus : Diatoma
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Vol. 7 No. 2A, October-December 2012
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Protista
Division: Bacillariophyta
Class: Bacillariophyceae
Genus: Diadesmis
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Protista
Division: Bacillariophyta
Class: Bacillariophyceae
Genus: Frustulia
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Chromalveolata
Phylum: Heterokontophyta
Division: Bacillariophyta
Class: Bacillariophyceae
Order: Cymbellales
Genus: Didymosphenia
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Chromalveolata
Phylum: Heterokontophyta
Division: Bacillariophyta
Class: Bacillariophyceae
Order: Naviculales
Genus: Navicula
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Domain: Eukaryote
Kingdom: Protista
Phylum: Chlorophyta
Class: Zygnematophyceae
Order: Zygnematales
Family: Zygnemataceae
Genus: Spirogyra
Domain: Eukaryote
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Charophyta
Class: Zygnemophyceae
Order: Desmidiales
Family: Closteriaceae
Genus: Closterium
Domain: Eukaryote
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Charophyta
Class: Zygnemophyceae
Order: Desmidiales
Family: Zygnemataceae
Genus: Zygnema
Domain: Eukaryote
Kingdom: Prostita
Division: Chlorophyta
Class: Zygnemophyceae
Order: Desmidiales
Family: Desmidiaceae
Genus: Cosmarium
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Domain: Eukaryote
Kingdom: Chromista
Division: Ochrophyta
Class: Fragilariophyceae
Order: Fragilariales
Family: Fragilariaceae
Genus: Fragilariforma
Domain: Eukaryote
Kingdom: Protista
Division:
Bacillariophyta
Class: Fragilariophyceae
Genus: Fragilaria
Domain: Eukaryote
Kingdom: Viridiplantae
Phylum: Chlorophyta
Class: Ulvophyceae
Order: Ulotrichales
Family: Ulotrichaceae
Genus: Ulothrix
Domain: Eukaryote
Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Chlorophyta
Class: Trebouxiophyceae
Order: Chlorellales
Family: Chlorellaceae
Genus : Chlorella
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Kingdom: Bacteria
Phylum: Cyanobacteria
Class: Cyanophyceae
Order: Nostocales
Family: Nostocaceae
Genus: Anabaena
Kingdom: Bacteria
Phylum: Cyanobacteria
Class: Cyanophyceae
Order: Oscillatoriales
Family: Oscillatoriaceae
Genus: Oscillatoria
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Excavata
Phylum: Euglenozoa
Class: Euglenoidea
Order: Euglenales
Family: Euglenaceae
Genus: Euglena
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Crustacea
Class: Maxillopoda
Subclass: Copepoda
Order: Cyclopoida
Genus : Cyclops
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Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Crustacea
Class: Maxillopoda
Subclass: Copepoda
Order: Calanoida
Family: Diaptomidae
Genus : Diaptomus
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Crustacea
Class: Ostracoda
Genus : Cypris
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Rotifera
Class: Monogononta
Order: Plioma
Family: Brachionidae
Genus : Brachionus
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Rotifera
Class: Monogononta
Order: Plioma
Family: Brachionidae
Genus : Keratella
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Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Rotifera
Class: Monogononta
Order: Flosculariaceae
Family: Testudinellidae
Genus: Filinia
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Crustacea
Class: Branchiopoda
Order: Cladocera
Family: Daphniidae
Genus : Daphnia
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Crustacea
Class: Branchiopoda
Order: Cladocera
Family: Moinidae
Genus : Moina
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Crustacea
Class: Branchiopoda
Order: Cladocera
Family: Bosminidae
Genus: Bosmina
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Domain:Eukarya
Kingdom: Protista
Phylum: Ciliophora
Class: Ciliatea
Order: Peniculida
Family: Parameciidae
Genus: Paramecium
Fig. 1 : 34 taxas of Phyto plankton found during studies
Fig. 2 : Classwise percent composition of
Phytoplankton in the study area
Fig. 3 : Percentage contribution of
zooplanktons over the study area
CONCLUSION
REFERENCES
From the study of plankton diversity of
Siddheshwar dam concluded that variety of phytoplankton and zooplankton present in this
dam water. About twenty-four genera of phytoplankton and ten genera of zooplankton were
found. The genera belonging to Chlorophyceae
class are dominant in selected dam throughout
the study period. The zooplankton taxa from
class Monogononta and Branchiopoda showing
more contribution.
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We are grateful to the School of Earth Sciences,
Swami Ramanand Teerth Marathwada University, Nanded, (India) for providing laboratory and
library facilities. The first author is thankful to
UGC, New Delhi for the award of Maulana Azad
National Fellowship for Ph.D.
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