The health of benthic diatom assemblages in lower stretch of a lesser Himalayan glacier-fed river, Mandakini

Nautiyal, Prakash; Mishra, Asheesh Shivam; Verma, Jyoti

doi:10.1007/s12040-015-0547-z

Cited by 7 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…Decline in the oxygenation indicated by category 2 (Fairly high 75% saturation) was observed (at S1, S2, S3 and S5 in while moderate (3=50% saturation) and low (4=30%) oxygenation were recorded at S11 and S6, respectively (Table 2). Therefore the streams of the valley exhibited varied oxygenation conditions and hence comparable to the lower stretch of lesser Himalayan river Mandakini (Nautiyal et al 2015). Saprobity: The oligosaprobous condition denoted by category 1 (=BOD <2 mgl -1 ) were observed at S8, S9 and S10, while category 2 (β -mesosaprobous condition (=BOD 2-4 mg l -1 ) for most of the streams.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 93%

Evaluation of the ecological state of the major streams located in Doon valley using diatoms as indicators

Singh

Nautiyal

2018

JANS

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Biological communities reflect overall ecological integrity (i.e. chemical, physical and biological integrity). Since the diatom species exhibit variation in tolerances to physical and chemical change in water, they are excellent indicators changes in their environment. Based on the dominant categories for each characteristic, the ecological state of the stream can be determined. This study evaluates the ecological state of the streams in Doon Valley. The diatom samples collected at regular monthly intervals from the twelve streams located in the eastern and western Doon were treated with acid-peroxide and mounted in Naphrax for species count at x1500. About 250-300 valves of diatom species were counted and Van Dam ecologic values were computed by OMNIDIA ver. 5.3. pH was alkaliphilous (4), salinity -fresh brackish (2) and oxygenation -continuously high (1) for most of the streams. Saprobity and trophic status was largely β-mesosaprobous (2) and eutraphentic (5), respectively. The Leclercq index also shows non-existent (<10%) to low (10-20%) organic pollution, degradation (IDSE=3.5-3.0) and moderate anthropogenic eutrophication (20.1-45%) in most of the streams attributed to urbanization stress (62 MLD sewage). The water quality based on indices; IBD (Indice biologique diatomèes), IPS (Indice de polluo-sensibilite) and TDI (Trophic Diatom Index) showed the moderate water quality in the streams of the Valley. Like EU Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC (WFD) India should also have the objective to ensure ecosystem integrity through bio-assessment and not just mere pollution control.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 93%

Evaluation of the ecological state of the major streams located in Doon valley using diatoms as indicators

Singh

Nautiyal

2018

JANS

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“…5). The increase in BOD value from upstream to downstream may be ascribed to increase in anthropogenic pressure, change in land use land cover, increased urbanization, surface run-off from commercial and residential areas, increased microbial load and release of domestic sewage in the stream [17,18,19] . The BOD revealed oligosaprobic nature of the stream in upper reaches and mesosaprobic nature of the stream in middle and lower reaches.…”

Section: Physico-chemical Characteristics Of Watermentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessment of spatial variation in water quality of Doodhganga stream in Kashmir Himalaya

Dar¹,

Lone²,

Bhat³

et al. 2020

Int. J. Chem. Stud.

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The present study was carried out during April 2018 to assess the spatial variability in water quality of Doodhganga-a stream in Kashmir Himalaya and the assessment of land use land cover (LULC) of the four selected sites [Yousmarg (Site-A), Nowhar (Site-B), Chadoora (Site-C) and Barzulla (Site-D)] based on differential anthropogenic pressures. At each site samples were collected from three locations (which served as three replications) and data was represented as mean value of all locations. At Site-A (comparatively clean site), the mean value of parameters viz. temperature, pH, electrical conductivity, BOD, total hardness, sulphate, orthophosphate and ammonical nitrogen increased significantly downstream with minimum mean value recorded as 10 ±0.1 • C, 7.7 ±0.02, 72.2 ±0.06 µScm -1 , 1.5 ±0.5mgL -1 , 67.2 ±0.5mgL -1 , 9.2 ±0.2mgL -1 , 0.09 ±0.01mgL -1 and 0.53 ±0.01mgL -1 respectively. On the other hand maximum mean value for all these parameters viz. 20.6 ±0.03 • C, 8.1 ±0.01, 179.8 ±0.23 µScm -1 , 3.5 ±0.06mgL -1 , 259.2 ±0.5mgL -1 , 29.6 ±0.3mgL -1 , 0.35 ±0.01mgL -1 and 0.82 ±0.01mgL -1 where recorded at Site-D. Similarly, dissolved oxygen recorded maximum mean value at Site-A (8.6 ±0.08mgL -1 ) and decreased significantly downstream and its minimum mean value was recorded at Site-D (6.0 ±0.5mgL -1 ). Land use/land cover (LULC) of Doodhganga watershed revealed considerable change in some LULC classes during the selected time period (2000)(2001)(2002)(2003)(2004)(2005)(2006)(2007)(2008)(2009)(2010)(2011)(2012)(2013)(2014)(2015)(2016)(2017)(2018). Total share of area under agricultural field, mixed plantation, water body and wetlands reduced by 3.23%, 1.61%, 0.14% and 0.04% respectively. On the other hand, built up, and horticulture/orchards increased by 3% and 1.46% respectively. Change in physico-chemical characteristics of water of Doodhganga stream elucidates increased pollution load downstream.

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“…Alpine rivers, particularly springs, have been identified as potential hotspots of benthic diatom biodiversity, hosting rare, and threatened taxa, often in high abundance (Cantonati, Füreder, Gerecke, Jüttner, & Cox, ; Rott et al, ). Hannaea arcus and the genera Achnanthidium, Fragilaria and Odontidium are consistently the most abundant taxa within diatom assemblages across the European Alps, Himalaya, and Rocky Mountains, with new species belonging to the latter recently identified in mountain streams (Gesierich & Rott, ; Hieber, Robinson, Rushforth, & Uehlinger, ; Jüttner et al, ; Nautiyal, Mishra, & Verma, ). However, a more complete consideration of benthic diatoms is needed to inform understanding of alpine river biodiversity responses to glacier retreat, given their role as a principal food source for invertebrate primary consumers in glacier‐fed rivers (Clitherow, Carrivick, & Brown, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Previous research investigating river diatom assemblages within mountain catchments has considered glacial influence with regard to distance from ice margins (Nautiyal et al, ) and water source origins (Hieber et al, ). However, holistic predictions of aquatic community response to future glacier retreat require approaches that identify alterations to alpine freshwater biodiversity along a quantified spectrum of glacial influence (Brown, Hannah, & Milner, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Declining glacier cover threatens the biodiversity of alpine river diatom assemblages

Fell

Carrivick

Kelly³

et al. 2018

Global Change Biology

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Climate change poses a considerable threat to the biodiversity of high altitude ecosystems worldwide, including cold-water river systems that are responding rapidly to a shrinking cryosphere. Most recent research has demonstrated the severe vulnerability of river invertebrates to glacier retreat but effects upon other aquatic groups remain poorly quantified. Using new data sets from the European Alps, we show significant responses to declining glacier cover for diatoms, which play a critical functional role as freshwater primary producers. Specifically, diatom α-diversity and density in rivers presently fed by glaciers will increase with future deglaciation, yet β-diversity within and between sites will reduce because declining glacier influence will lower the spatiotemporal variability of glacier cover and its associated habitat heterogeneity. Changes in diatom assemblage composition as glacier cover declined were associated strongly with increasing riverbed stability and water temperature. At the species level, diatoms showed a gradation of responses; for example, Eunotia trinacria, found exclusively at river sites with high (≥52%) catchment glacier cover, may be affected negatively by ice loss. Conversely, seven taxa confined to sites with no glacier cover, including Gomphonema calcareum, stand to benefit. Nineteen (22%) taxa were noted as threatened, endangered, rare or decreasing on the Red List of Algae for Germany, with most at sites ≤26% glacier cover, meaning further ice loss may benefit these diatoms. However, six taxa found only in rivers ≥28% glacier cover may require reclassification of their Red List conservation status, as this habitat is threatened by deglaciation. Our identification of clear links between decreasing glacier cover and river diatom biodiversity suggests there could be significant reorganization of river ecosystems with deglaciation, for example, through alterations to primary production, biogeochemical cycles, and the shifting resource base of alpine freshwater food webs which lack significant allochthonous energy inputs.

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The health of benthic diatom assemblages in lower stretch of a lesser Himalayan glacier-fed river, Mandakini

Cited by 7 publications

References 23 publications

Evaluation of the ecological state of the major streams located in Doon valley using diatoms as indicators

Evaluation of the ecological state of the major streams located in Doon valley using diatoms as indicators

Assessment of spatial variation in water quality of Doodhganga stream in Kashmir Himalaya

Declining glacier cover threatens the biodiversity of alpine river diatom assemblages

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