Title: Assessment of species diversity and impact of pollution on limnological conditions of River Ganga

Authors: Gagan Matta; D.P. Uniyal

Addresses: Department of Zoology and Environmental Science, Gurukula Kangri University, Haridwar, India ' Uttarakhand State Council for Science and Technology, VIGYAN DHAM, Jhjara, Premnagar, Dehradun, India

Abstract: The present study on dynamic flow of River Ganga was undertaken for a period of one year from October 2012 to September 2013 to assess the species diversity and impact of pollution on limnological conditions of River Ganga in Uttarakhand, India. In the present study water samples were collected from two important sampling sites Shivpuri and Pashulok barrage of River Ganga in Rishikesh. A total of three groups were identified, total diatoms, green algae and blue green algae, including six major species belonging to diatoms. Higher concentration of phytoplankton species at site 2 indicates polluted nature of river water and can be used as an indicator of organic pollution in the river for domestic use but having positive effect on the growth of these ecological indicators of aquatic ecosystem.

Keywords: River Ganga; phytoplankton ecology; nutrient dynamics; Uttarakhand; Rishikesh.

DOI: 10.1504/IJW.2017.083759

International Journal of Water, 2017 Vol.11 No.2, pp.87 - 102

Received: 08 Feb 2015
Accepted: 19 Aug 2015
Published online: 22 Apr 2017 *

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