Abstract. Sunar CB, Pandey N, Chand B, Upadhyaya LP, Thapa B, Pant RR, Khanal L. 2022. Effect of water physicochemistry on amphibian abundance in Sub-tropical Kupinde Lake of the Nepal Himalaya. Intl J Bonorowo Wetlands 12: 92-99. Amphibians are the key bioindicators of ecosystem health. Their diversity and abundance are affected by the physicochemical factors of the environment. Wetland ecosystems of the Himalaya are under the threat of human activities and current climate change. However, hydrochemical status and faunal diversity are poorly documented in the wetlands of western Nepal. This study characterized the physicochemical parameters of water in Kupinde Lake in the Salyan District of Karnali Province, Nepal, and established the association between amphibian abundance and those parameters. A total of 24 samples of surface water were collected at the lake's edge during October 2021, and 18 physical and chemical parameters were analyzed. Visual encounter surveys were conducted at each water sampling site to count amphibians within a circle of two meters in diameter. The lake water was slightly alkaline (mean pH = 8.16±0.29), and the major dominating cation and anion were Ca2+ and HCO3-, respectively. Amphibian abundance was positively correlated with pH, HCO3-, and NH4+ and negatively correlated with EC, TDS, CO2, Cl-, and Na+. The polynomial regression analysis revealed amphibian abundance has a consistent positive association with water pH (r2 = 0.497, p < 0.05) and unimodal relation with the temperature (r2 = 0.188, p < 0.05). Low amphibian diversity and dominance of a single amphibian species, the Indian skipper frog (Euphlyctis cyanophlyctis Schneider, 1799), indicate poor ecosystem health of the lake. The findings of this study provide baseline information for monitoring and managing the Kupinde Lake.
Hydrochemical assessment of the freshwater lakes provides important insights into the sources of dissolved ions, geochemical processes, and anthropogenic activities taking place in the environment. This study focuses on the assessment of hydrochemistry and water quality of Kupinde Lake, Karnali Province, Nepal. Surface water samples were collected from 24 different locations of the lake in October 2021 and analyzed for 18 different physico-chemical parameters. The pH, temperature, electrical conductivity and total dissolved solids were measured on-site, and concentration of major ions (Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, K+, NH4+, HCO3-, Cl-, SO42-, PO43-, NO3-), including hardness and free CO2 were measured in the laboratory. The results revealed that lake water was alkaline with abundance of the major ions in the following order: Ca2+ > Mg2+ > Na+> K+ > NH4+ and HCO3- > Cl- > SO42- > PO43- > NO3- for the cations and anions, respectively. The lake water was dominated by Ca-HCO3, indicating calcium carbonate dominated lithology in the area. Gibb’s plot and Piper diagram illustrated rock weathering as the most dominant process in controlling the hydrochemistry of the lake basin. The suitability of water for drinking and irrigation was determined using geochemical indices and WHO standards. The results indicated that the Kupinde Lake water could be used for drinking and irrigation purposes in terms of measured hydrochemical variables.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.