Comparative Studies on Zooplanktonic Diversity of River Yamuna and Western Yamuna Canal in Relation to Industrial Pollution in Yamunanagar (Haryana), India

Priyanka Malhotra, Ajay Kumar

Abstract: The present study deals with the diversity and abundance of zooplankton of river Yamuna and western Yamuna canal in Yamunanagar which are getting effluents from different point and nonpoint sources. Thirteen number of taxa were recorded from river Yamuna and only four taxa from western Yamuna canal belonging to groups Cladocera, Rotifera, Copepoda, Protozoa, Ostracoda and Trematoda. Sida crystallina and Daphnia spp. were the taxa common at both the lotic water bodies. Taxa Polynema spp. , Cyclops spp. , Nauplius spp. , Cypris spp. , Bosmina spp. , Moina spp. , Monostyla spp. , Keratella spp. , Branchionus spp. , Physarum spp. and Trinema spp. were found only at river Yamuna but not at western Yamuna canal. Taxa Simocephalus spp. and Miracidium larva were found only at western Yamuna canal but not at river Yamuna. The abundance, distribution, total population and species diversity were studied and correlated with effect of effluents. Species diversity values indicated a decrease from pre-effluent point to point of influx of effluent and post effluent point in river Yamuna and western Yamuna canal.

Keywords: Industrial effluents, River Yamuna, Species diversity, Western Yamuna canal, Zooplankton