Lake 2010: Wetlands, Biodiversity and Climate Change

WATER QUALITY ASSESSMENT OF FORT LAKE, AND WADRAL LAKE, WADRAL () WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO PHYTOPLANKTONS

B.S.Giriayappanavar and Rahul R. Patil

Karnatak University’s Department of Botany, Karnatak Science College, Dharwad-580001, . Email-id: [email protected], [email protected]

ABSTRACT:

Study on Physico-chemical characteristics of the Fort Lake, Belgaum and Wadral Lake, Wadral (Karnataka) was made to assess the potability of water. Fort Lake exhibits high Alkalinity with pH ranging from 7.7 to 8.0, Electrical Conductivity from 260-310 µS/cm, BOD from 0.246 to 2.0876 mg/lt, Total Hardness from 101.2 to 126.66 mg/lt, and Total Alkalinity from 2.08 to 2.466 mg/lt. Whereas the Wadral Lake has the high Alkalinity with respect to pH variation from 7.8 to 8.0, Electrical Conductivity from 330 to 430 µS/cm, BOD from 0.18 to 4.032 mg/lt, Total Hardness from 165.2 to 173.3 mg/lt, and Total Alkalinity from 3.30 to 3.46 mg/lt. From the observations it can be concluded that the Fort Lake water is inferior and not suitable for drinking whereas the water of Wadral Lake can be used for drinking purposes. The possible factors for the poor quality of water and impacts of physico-chemical changes of lake water on the Algal diversity have been discussed.

KEY WORDS: Lakes, physico-chemical character, phytoplankton’s, water quality.

Introduction:

In India there are enormous number of natural and man made water bodies used for various purposes, mainly for drinking and agriculture. However, in recent years due to rapid urbanization industrialization and modern agricultural activities, the quality of water bodies deteriorated causing environmental hazards. Due to direct or indirect interferences of men, water bodies have been contaminated with variety of hazardous chemical pollutants causing an adverse impact on human health and aquatic life as well (Telliard and Rubin, 1987). Studies have been made on the limnobiological status of natural and man made water bodies in India mainly with an intention to assess the water quality.

Studies on planktonic composition and physico-chemical characterization of water bodies are necessary to obtain basic knowledge on the biodiversity in a given region. Therefore, present work is aimed to study the physic- chemical characteristics and phytoplankton species diversity to measure the pollution status of two lakes of Belgaum District, Karnataka.

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Lake 2010: Wetlands, Biodiversity and Climate Change

Materials and Methods:

Study Area: Two lakes were selected in which Fort Lake is one of the important water resources, located in the midst of Belgaum city. It was constructed about 200 years ago as a source of minor irrigation for supply of water to rice fields and has a depth of about 10 feet. Wadral Lake is located in the Wadral village and is at the distance of 12 km south from (A Taluk of Belgaum District). The lake has a huge stony wall towards the eastern part of it to store huge quantity of water. The lake water was used for drinking purposes, but now a days it is exclusively used for the domestic purposes like cattle bathing, for washing clothes and for irrigation etc.

Collection of Samples: water samples were collected fro selected habitats for three months from July to September 2010 samples were collected periodically at the first week of every month during morning hours between 9 to 11 am. The samples for Physico-chemical parameters and for the study of phytoplankton’s were collected separately in one liter black plastic carbouys and the samples for BOD analysis were collected in separate 300ml BOD bottles and oxygen is fixed immediately.

Biological analysis: planktons were studied under microscope and identified with the help of standard monographs (Cyanophyta, T.V.Desikachary 1959; Chlorococcales, M.T.Philipose). Quantitative analysis was made using a plankton counting cell (Sedgwick rafter).

Physico-chemical analysis: Surface water temperature was recorded on the spot using centigrade thermometer. The pH of the water samples was measured by pH paper on the spot and later confirmed in the lab with the help of pH meter. Physico-chemical analysis (electrical conductivity, alkalinity, calcium hardness, magnesium hardness, total hardness, phosphate, BOD and COD) of the samples was done according to Standard Methods (APHA, 1995)

Results and Discussion:

In the present investigation the pH of Fort Lake varied from 7.7 to 8.0 and the pH of Wadral Lake varied form 7.8 to 8.0.which is quite normal and within the range of drinking water standards.

In the present investigation hardness ranges from 101.2 to 126.66 mg/lt for Fort Lake and 165.22to173.33 for Wadral lake. The maximum permissible limit for this parameter for drinking water standards is 500mg/lt.

Calcium is also found in greater abundance in all natural waters as its main source is weathering of rocks from which it leaches out. In case of Fort Lake the Calcium range was fond to be 62.4 to 68 mg/lt. Whereas in Wadral Lake it vavried from 70.4 o 88 mg/lt

Sodium quantities varied from 7.687 to 12.157 mg/lt for Fort Lake and 6.489 to 8.327 mg/lt for Wadral Lake. High sodium content in the form of Chloride and Sulphate makes the salty taste of water, making it unfit for human consumption.

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Lake 2010: Wetlands, Biodiversity and Climate Change

BOD is found to be more sensitive test for organic pollution. BOD value of Fort Lake ranged between 0.246 to 2.0876 mg/lt and BOD value of Wadral Lake ranged between 0.18 to 4.032 mg/lt Highest BOD value was observed during the month of august in the Wadral Lake.

TABLE 1 Physico-chemical parameters of For Lake and Wadral Lake from Jul to Sep 2010.

Parameters Fort Lake Wadral Lake Permissible limits for drinking (mg/lt) IS:3025 July August Sept July Aug Sept Desirable Permissible

Temperature 26 26 27 25 25 26 pH 8.0 8.0 7.7 8.0 8.0 7.8 6.5 8.5

Electrical conductivity(µS/cm) 305 310 260 400 430 330

Total Alkalinity (mg/lt) 2.34 2.46 2.08 3.33 3.466 3.30 200 600

Calcium hardness (mg/lt) 66.24 68 62.4 81.26 88 70.4 75 200

Magnesium hardness (mg/lt) 12.25 14.25 9.42 22.25 20.089 23.03 30 100

Total hardness (mg/lt) 116.66 126.66 101.2 172.86 173.33 165.2 300 600

BOD (mg/lt) 1.976 2.087 0.246 3.75 4.032 0.18 3 500

Sodium (mg/lt) 8.728 7.687 12.157 7.32 8.327 6.489 1 250

Potassium (mg/lt) 7.4 9.064 4.34 3.50 3.564 3.78 1 250

Total Disssolved Solids 682 640 720 376 340 480 500 (mg/lt)

45 species of phytoplankton have been identified and station wise distribution has been given in Table 2.Based on the percentage composition, the algae belonging to Cyanophyceae (32.35%), were dominant followed by Bacillariophyceae (25.70%),Chlorophyceae (24.99) and Euglenophyceae (16.99%) and Chrysophyceae (5.01%)in Fort Lake. Whereas at Wadral Lake Chlorophyceae (40%) were dominant followed by Bacillariophyceae (29.49%), Cyanophyceae (15.50%), Euglenophyceae (10.0%) and Chrysophyceae (5.01%) Table - 2: Occurrence of different classes of phytoplankton in Fort Lake and Wadral Lake

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Lake 2010: Wetlands, Biodiversity and Climate Change

Phytoplankton Fort Lake Wadral Lake Chlorophyceae Spirogyra sp - + Ulothrix sp - + Zygnema sp - + Microspora sp + - Cosmarium moniliforme - + Closterium lunula - - Mougeotia sp - - Chaetophora sp + - Scenedesmus quadricauda + - Gonatozygon sp - - Cosmarium reniform - - C.constactum - - C.tumidum - + Pachycladon sp - - Staurastrum sebaldi - - Tetraedon sp - + Selenastrum gracile + - Sirogonium sp - - Ankistrodesmus falcatus - - Bacillariophyceae Melosira granulata + + Synedra ulna + - Amphora cofformis - + Cymbella tumida - + Gomphonema sp + + Navicula cryptocephala - + Navicula palea - - Fragillaria sp - + Pinnularia major + - Nitzschia sp - + Surirella sp - - Tabellaria sp - - Gyrosigma attenuatum - + Cyclotella meneghniana + - Navicula sp + - Cocconeis placentula - -

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Lake 2010: Wetlands, Biodiversity and Climate Change

Cyanophyceae Ocillatoria limosa + + Phormidium sp - + Anabaena sp - - Microcystis aeruginosa - - Arthrospira sp - - Nostoc sp + - Aphanocapsa sp - - Euglenophyceae Euglena limnophylla - - Phacus nordstedti + - Chrysophyceae Dinobryon sp - + + = PRESENT - =ABSENT

Many authors have considered Cyclotella as an indicator for oligotrophic environments (Willen et al., 1990; Tas et al., 2002; Stoermer and Julius 2003). It was also recorded as the dominant species in other studies (Talling, 1980; Al-Lami et al., 1996; Al-Saadi et al., 2000; Hassan et al., 2001; Hassan, 2004). C. meneghiana is not only euplanktonic, but can also be benthic or potamoplanktonic (Krammer and lange-bertalot, 1991; Murakami et al., 1992).

Nandan and Aher (2005) has showed the algal genera,Euglena, Oscillatoria, Scenedesmus, Navicula, Nitzschia and Microcystis which are the species found in organically polluted waters. Similar genera were also recorded in the present study.The epilethic and epiphytic algae are excellent indicators of water pollution (Round, 1965). In this study, occurrence of Phormidium, Oscillatoria and Ulothrix as epilethic algae and Gomphonema as epiphytic were recorded in the present study. The algae like Microcystis aeruginosa was used as the best single indicator of pollution and it was associated with the highest degree of civic pollution (Nandan and Aher, 2005). In the current study, the occurrence of Oscillatoria was indicating pollutants of biological origin which agreed with the observations of Gadag et al. (2005).

This study revealed that the water quality parameters, such as temperature, pH and phosphate play a decisive role in altering the phytoplankton distribution. Human anthropogenic activities are the main causative agents in the increase of nutrients (phosphate,chloride and calcium) level in the Lake.

References:

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