New records of desmids from Ropar wetland (a Ramsar Site) of Punjab, India

This study deals with exploration of freshwater desmids for the first time from Ropar wetland (Ramsar site) of Punjab (India) to assess their taxonomic aspects and bio-geographical distribution. During this study, samples of planktonic, epiphytic and epilithic desmids were collected from littoral zone and were observed under light microscope for their morphometric characteristics based identification. Total 21 desmids species belonging to 4 genera of 2 families (Closteriaceae and Desmidiaceae) were identified from the collected samples. Among them, Cosmarium with 11 species (C. awadhense, C. bioculatum, C. trilobatum, C. divergens, C. granatum, C. moniliforme, C. nitidulum, C. subtumidum, C. reniforme, C. undulatum and C. obtusatum) was found to be most abundant followed by Closterium with 7 species (C. acerosum, C. dianae, C. incurvum, C. leibleinii, C. lunula, C. pritchardianum and C. aciculare), Euastrum with 2 species (E. spinulosum and E. platycerum) and Staurastrum with 1 species (S. crenulatum). The geographic distribution of identified desmid taxa in India has been also recorded. All the desmid taxa identified during this study are new record for the Punjab state of India. The results of this study provide significant baseline data for the future taxonomic and ecological studies from the similar habitats.

Physico - Chemical Analysis of Fresh Water of Ropar Wetland (Ramsar Site), India

Through anthropogenic activities such as dam building, river management works, indirectly through developments and disturbances in the landscape of the watersheds in particular effluent discharges and deforestation increasingly threatened the environmental integrity of freshwaters systems, world wide. In order to access the monthly and seasonally variations of “Ropar Weland”, study on various physio - chemical parameters was carried out from October 2015 to September 2017 at four representative sites (S1, S2, S3 and S4). The seasons were generally divided into winter (December to February), summer (March to May), monsoon (June to August) and autumn (September to November). Maximum amount of all the parameters except DO and free CO2 were observed in summer and monsoon season and minimum in winter season. Minimum value of DO and free CO2 during summer season is due to the higher temperature because temperature is inversely proportional to DO. Rest of the parameters such as phosphate, sulphate, magnesium, calcium were widely fluctuated according to seasons and are under permissible limits.