Ecological Status and Assessment of Plankton Diversity in Balua Chaur Wetland of Muzaffarpur, Bihar, India
Deepika Korram
College of Fisheries, Dholi, Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University, Pusa, Bihar- 843121, India.
Roshan Kumar Ram *
College of Fisheries, Dholi, Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University, Pusa, Bihar- 843121, India.
P.P. Srivastava
College of Fisheries, Dholi, Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University, Pusa, Bihar- 843121, India.
Pravesh Kumar
College of Fisheries, Dholi, Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University, Pusa, Bihar- 843121, India.
H. S. Mogalekar
College of Fisheries, Dholi, Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University, Pusa, Bihar- 843121, India.
S. Bidyasagar Singh
College of Fisheries, Dholi, Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University, Pusa, Bihar- 843121, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Balua Chaur is a natural floodplain wetland in Muzaffarpur District, Bihar, whose ecological condition can be evaluated through water-quality characteristics and plankton communities. The present study aimed to assess plankton diversity in relation to the physicochemical parameters of Balua Chaur Wetland in Dholi, Muzaffarpur, Bihar. The study tested whether statistically significant differences existed in physicochemical parameters and plankton communities among the sampling locations. Water-quality parameters, including temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), turbidity, alkalinity, and hardness, together with plankton diversity, were measured at three sampling stations. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to determine differences among the stations, while Pearson correlation was employed to assess the relationship between water-quality parameters and plankton abundance. The Water Quality Index (WQI) was computed to assess the overall water-quality status. ANOVA revealed no statistically significant differences (p > 0.05) in water-quality parameters among the three stations. Seven plankton classes were recorded in Balua Chaur Wetland, namely Chlorophyceae, Cyanophyceae, Bacillariophyceae, Euglenophyceae, Rotifera, Cladocera, and Copepoda. The physicochemical parameters indicated favourable water quality throughout the study period, suggesting that Balua Chaur Wetland provides suitable environmental conditions for sustaining a diverse plankton community. These findings provide baseline information on plankton biodiversity and water quality and highlight the ecological importance of Balua Chaur Wetland for biodiversity conservation and sustainable wetland management.
Keywords: Plankton diversity, floodplain wetland, water quality, phytoplankton, zooplankton, physicochemical parameters, biodiversity assessment, seasonal variation.