Seasonal Variation of Zooplankton Density and Physicochemical Parameters of A Perennial Freshwater Body, Samudrabundh of Joypur, Bankura, West Bengal, India

Abstract

Water is the most essential and vital component required for the survival of all organisms in this earth. The physico-chemical and biological characteristics of a water body determine its efficacy for the production of plankton especially the zooplankton. Zooplankton are the most important primary consumer of aquatic food chain which in turn influence the productivity of finfishes in an aquatic body .The present study is primarily based on assessment of seasonal density and diversity as well as the physico-chemical condition of Samudrabundh, of Joypur block of Bankura district, West Bengal. Such type of assessment on this water body has not been done before this.. The study was carried during March.2019 to February, 2020. The water quality parameters which were used for study were temperature, PH, Dissolved Oxygen (DO), Free carbon dioxide (CO2),Chloride, salinity, alkalinity and total hardness. A total of 26 taxa of zooplankton were recorded. Out of which 8 sp ecies comprises of Rotifera, 05 species of Copepoda, 10 species of Cladocera and 03 species of Ostracoda. The total zooplankton density ranges from 756 (Ind/L) to 957 (Ind/L) which is quiet lower than the desired value required for good fish culture. The study concludes that the water body is of soft water type and medium productive in nature.