Pre-impoundment study of diatom and benthic macroinvertebrate community in a lesser himalayan river, the tons Mishra Asheesh Shivam*, Prasad Sunil1 Department of Zoology, Nehru Gram Bharati (Deemed to be University), Prayagraj-221 505, India 1Ecology and Biodiversity Services (EBS), Dehradun-248 014, India *asheesh.shivam@ngbu.edu.in
Online published on 9 March, 2021. Abstract A pre-impoundment study was designed in lesser Himalayan river. The taxonomic composition and abundance of diatom and benthic macroinvertebrate community was determined at three locations; S1 (upstream of proposed dam site), S2 (proposed dam site) and S3 (downstream of proposed dam site). The study was conducted between April to June 2014. The density of diatom community decreased from S1 to S2 and increased at S3, however, benthic invertebrate density increased from S1 to S2 but decreased at S3. The abundance of diatom taxa varied at S1 ( Diatoma mesodon -Achnanthidium biasolettianum var. , var. producta ), S2 ( Achnanthidium biasolettianum Diatoma vulgare biasolettianum var. biasolettianum , Diatoma mesodon , Achnanthidium minutissimum var. minutissimum , Encyonema minutum ) and S3 (Diatoma mesodon , Cocconeis placentula , Diatoma vulgare var. producta , Achnanthidium minutissimum var. minutissimum ). Among the benthic macroinvertebrate community, may fly (Ephemeroptera) was highest taxon rich order followed by the caddis fly (Trichoptera), two wing fly (Diptera) and stone fly (Plecoptera).Total 10 families were recorded and Hydropsychidae was most abundant among all of them. The higher abundance and presence of mainly pollution intolerant taxa suggest that the river is unpolluted and healthy at present. Top Keywords Benthic macroinvertebrate, Diatoma mesodon, Himalaya, Hydropsychidae, Hydroelectric project, Ecosystem health. Top |