4-Ecological study of Pong dam : A wetland of Himachal Pradesh India

Abstract

The present paper is a part of dissertation work carried out during the period from January 2002 to 1st May 2002 and an attempt has been made to study the salient ecological aspects of the wetland. During the study 22 sp. of phytoplankton, 17 sp. of zooplankton, 8 sp. of benthic fauna and 27 fish sp. were encountered. The limnological investigations conducted during the period showed that the water temperature and atmospheric temperature varied between 16°C - 24°C and 20°C - 33°C respectively. The hydrogen-ion-concentration (pH) was found to be in the alkaline range i.e. 8.0, DO content 8.8-9.2 mg/I, transparency varied between 200-240 cm. Phosphate and nitrate varied between 0.069-0.072 mg/1 and 0.064 - 0.071 mg/I respectively. Among primary productivity values gross primary productivity ranged between 0.450-1.050, net primary productivity varied from 0.150-0.600 while community respiration rate showed variations from 0.150-0.750 gC/m3/day. Based on the observations made during, the study period it can be concluded that the physico-chemical and biological environment of the wetland is quite congenial for the well being of aquatic life and may be assigned as mild eutrophic status. Moreover, the reservoir needs more detailed limnological study for its better management and conservation.