Geo-Ecological Studies on Diversity of Macro Flora in Urpad Beel, Goalpara District, Assam
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Plant Archives Volume 20 No. 2, 2020 pp. 3499-3502 e-ISSN:2581-6063 (online), ISSN:0972-5210 GEO-ECOLOGICAL STUDIES ON DIVERSITY OF MACRO FLORA IN URPAD BEEL, GOALPARA DISTRICT, ASSAM Pallabi Deka and Ratumoni Das Department of Geography, Jagiroad College, Jagiroad, Morigaon-782410 (Assam) India. Abstract The geo-ecological study on diversity of macro flora in Urpad beel has been carried out from January 2018 to December 2018. The study reveals that Poaceae is dominant family among the families in the urpad beel. Diversity of macro flora is decreasing in the study area due to degradation of habit and altering of geo-ecological condition and physico-chemical properties of water by the anthropogenic activities. Human inducing encroachment, agricultural practices and fishing in the beel are greatly altering the ecological conditions and it leads to extinction of some plant spices from the study area. Since, it is surrounded by human habitat tribal villages; it is under great threat of further extinction of biotic community. Key words : Geo-ecology, diversity, macro flora, wetland, Goalpara district. Introduction brackish or salt, including areas of marine water the depth Wetlands play a vital role in maintaining the geo- of which at low tide does not exceed six meters”. UICN ecological system of the earth. Ecologically wetlands are define wetlands as “all the submerged or water saturated considered as a great significant for an area as they lands, natural or man-made, inland or coastal, permanent support different food chain, food webs, agriculture and or temporary, static or dynamic, or vegetated or non allied sectors, sequestration of carbon, pollution vegetated, which necessarily have a land-water abatement, control flood, regulate hydrological cycle, interface”. recharge ground water, retention of toxics, trapping of Assam is located in the heart of the hill states of energy and shelter to large numbers of flora and fauna North East India and it is drain by the two river system, having great ecological and economical value, maintain the Brahmaputra river and the Barak river system. These biodiversity, support tourism and has cultural significance. two riverine tracts of Assam provide favorable geo- Wetlands are the unique ecological resources which are ecological conditions for the growth and development of providing numerous products and services to the human the wetlands and they are most common and integral society. Wetlands are functioning as source of water for geomorphic features of the fluvial landscape of Assam. irrigation, fisheries, non-timber forest products, water The origin and growth of the wetlands directly linked supply and recreation to human society. with geo-physical conditions, tectonic evaluation, Wetlands occur where the land is covered by water hydrologic and fluvio-geomorphic characteristics of the or where the water table is at or near the surface of the rivers of the region. land. Wetlands are the only ecosystem in the world whose Assam Remote Sensing Application Center conservation has been adopted as early as 1971 by the (ARSAC), 1997, has been recorded the total number of international convention (Ramsar Convention). Ramsar wetlands in Assam is 3474 and total area covered by Convention defined wetlands as “areas of marsh, fen, wetlands is 1,01,229.4 ha., its accounts for 1.29% of total peatland or water, whether natural or artificial, permanent geographical area of the state (Deka and Goswami, 1992 or temporary, with water that is static or flowing, fresh, and Bora, 2001). Goalpara districts shares 165 wetlands *Author for correspondence : E-mail: [email protected] and 3832.5 ha. from the total number of wetlands and 3500 Pallabi Deka and Ratumoni Das Table 1: List of plants in Urpad Beel, Goalpara district. total area under wetlands of the Sl. No. Botanical name Family Habit state respectively. 1 Ageratum conizoides L. Asteraceae MA The wetlands of riverine origin 2 Alpinia allughas (Retz.) Rose. Zingiberaceae EA are categorized into fresh water 3 Alternanthera sessilis L. Amaranthaceae MA lakes, ox-bow lakes or abandoned 4 Alternanthera philoxeriodes L. Amaranthaceae EA channels, marshy tracts, seasonally 5 Amaranthus spinosus L. Amaranthaceae MA water-logged areas and swampy 6 Amaranthus vieidis L. Amaranthaceae MA and marshy areas. Urpad beel in 7 Arundo donax L. Poaceae EA Goalpara district is under the 8 Brachiaria ramosa L. Stap. Poaceae EA swampy and marshy category and 9 Carex spiculata Boott. Cyperaceae EA it is permanently covered by water, mostly having shrubs. The lake like 10 Ceratophyllum demersum L. Ceratophylaceae FS water bodies or swampy and 11 Colocasia esculenta L. School. Araceae EA marshy areas are locally known as 12 Commelina benghalensis L. Commelinceae MA “beels” “Jalah”, “Doloni”, 13 Cynodon dectylon L. Pers. Poaceae MA “Pitoni”, “Doba” and “Hola”, 14 Cyperus brevifolia (Rottb.) Hassk. Cyperaceae MA covered with floating aquatic 15 Cyperus rotundus L. Cyperaceae MA plants and they mostly found close 16 Dichrocephala latifolia D.C. Asteraceae MA to the river banks. 17 Echinochloa colonum L. Poaceae EA Geographically, the selected 18 Cleome viecosa L. Capparidaceae MA study area Urpad beel is located 19 Cassia tora L. Caesalpinaceae MA between 25°282 to 26°152 N Lat. 20 Centella assiatica Urban Apiaceae MA and 89°422 to 90°152 E Long. to 21 Chromolaena odorata L. Asteraceae MA south of the Brahmaputra river of 22 Eclipta alba L. Hassk. Asteraceae MA Goalpara district, Assam (Map.1). 23 Eichhornia crassipes (Mart.) Solms. Pontederiaceae FF, EA, MA Total area covered by the Urpad 24 Elecharis conggesta (Spreng.) Don. Cyperaceae MA beel is about 649.38 ha. The 25 Enhydra fluctuans Lour. Asteraceae EA average annual rainfall in the 26 Euryale ferox Salisb. Nympheaceae FA district is 1614 mm and the average 27 Hydrilla varticillata (Lf.) Royle. Hydrocharitaceae SA minimum and maximum 28 Hydrocotyle rotundifolia D.C. Poaceae MA temperature are 10ºC and 33ºC 29 Hymenachne pscudointerrupta (C.Muctt) Poaceae EA respectively. Most of the rainfall 30 Ipomea aquatica Forsk Convolvulaceae EA received during the monsoon season. The wetland is fed by the 31 Ipomea carnea Jaeq. Var. fistulosa Convolvulaceae EA Jinjiram river during the flood 32 Ipomea obscura (L) Ker Gawler. Convolvulaceae MA which is flowing at the south of 33 Juncus prismatocarpus R. Br. Juncaceae EA the wetland and flowing parallel to 34 Jussiea repens L. Onagraceae EA the Brahmaputra in western 35 Leersia hexabdra Sw. Poaceae EA direction before it meets the 36 Lemna perpusila Torrey. Lemnaceae FF Brahmaputra at Bahadurghat of 37 Lindernia indica L. Druce. Scrophulariaceae FA the Bangladesh. Urpad beel is 38 Ludwigia hyssipifolia (G.Don) Exell. Onagraceae MA located between the levee formed 39 Ludwigia prostrata Roxb. Onagraceae MA by the Brahmaputra in the north 40 Melastoma malabathricum L. Melastomatacea EA and Garo hills of Meghalaya in the 41 Mikania micrantha H. Bk. Asteraceae MA south. The wetland is geologically 42 Leucus plukentii (Roth) Spreng. Lamiaceae MA formed by Archean Gneissic 43 Mimosa pudica L. Mimosaceae MA complex consisting of granites, 44 Monochoria hastata L. (Sotms) Pontederiaceae EA schists, gneisses and amphibilities. 45 Nojas indica (Willd) Champ. Najadaceae SA The Archean Gneissic is concealed 46 Nelumbo nucifera Gaetrn. Nympheaceae FA at the basement by the new alluvial soil and formed its valleys. From Table 1 contd.... Geo-ecological studies on diversity of macro flora in Urpad Beel, Goalpara District, Assam 3501 Table 1 contd.... due to low amount of rainfall. Sl. No. Botanical name Family Habit Materials and Methods 47 Nymphoides cristata (Roxb.) Oktze Nympheaceae FA Urpad beel area is under 48 Nymphaea nouchali Buern. F. Nympheaceae FA Balijana revenue circle of Goalpara 49 Oxalis corymbosa L. Oxalidaceae MA district. The study has been 50 Oxalis corniculata L. Oxalidaceae MA conducted from January 2018 to 51 Panicum maximum Jacq. Poaceae EA December 2018. After collection of 52 Panicum paludosum Roxb. Poaceae EA sample identification and estimation 53 Pistia stratioetes L. Araceae FF of plants were done. Location map 54 Plantago major L. Plantaginaceae MA for the study area was prepared 55 Polygomum galbrum Willd. Polygonaceae EA under GIS environment (Map 1). To 56 Polygomum hydropiper L. Polygonaceae MA locate the study area on map GPS 57 Polygonum orientale L. Polygonaceae MA points were collected from the 58 Ranunculus sclheratus L. Ranunculaceae MA ground and maps were prepared 59 Rumax dentatus L. Polygonaceae MA using ArcMap 10 software. The 60 Rumax nepalensis Spreng. Polygonaceae MA physico-chemical parameters like H 61 Sagittaria sagittifolia L. Alismataceae EA water temperature, p and dissolved 62 Saselia dancifolium C.B.Cl. Apiaceae EA oxygen were tested in laboratory H 63 Scirpus articulatus L. Cyperaceae Ea using thermometer, electric p 64 Scirpus mucronatus L. Cyperaceae MA meter and Winkler’s method respectively and required samples 65 Utricularia Flexuosa (Vaul) Lentibulariaceae FS were collected between 7am to 66 Vallisneria spiralis L. Hydrocharitaceae SA 9am. 67 Xanthium strumerium L. Asteraceae MA N.B.: MA= Marshy Amphibious, FA: Floating Anchored, SA= Submerged Anchored, EA= Emergent Amphibious, FF= Free floating, FS= Free Submerged. Results and Discussions Table 2: Seasonal variation of physico-chemical factors at Urpod Beel of Goalpara district, Assam. Geo-environmental factors greatly influence on the ecological habit of plat community of the study area. The Season Parameter H Water pH Dissolve factors like temperature, p and dissolved oxygen greatly Temperature Oxygen affect on the growth and development of plant and animal °C (ppm) communities. In the study area poaceae is the dominant Winter 21.1 9.0 7.0 family among all the families (Table 1). Summer 26.2 8.3 5.8 Due to anthropogenic factors like human encroachment, agricultural practices and fishing are the geographical antiquity, the numerous low hills called greatly impact on the ecological conditions of biotic Archaean inselberge found scattered near Goalpara community in the wetland to a great extent.