Assessing the Effectiveness of using Macroinvertebrate Diversity Indices as Indicators of Ecosystem Health in Dal Lake Kashmir India

Author: Kousar Jan, Waheed Ahmad Hurrah, Rajendra Chouhan and Shiasta Masarat

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Abstract

Macroinvertebrate diversity indices for evaluating freshwater quality are crucial instruments for environmental management and monitoring. These indexes offer important information on the biodiversity and general health of aquatic ecosystems. We can determine how pollution, habitat degradation, and other stressors affect the quality of the water by counting the type and amount of Macroinvertebrate species that are there. Indices like Shannon Diversity Index, Shannon Equitability Index, Simpson Index, Margalef Index, Menhinick’s Index, and Berger Parker Index were carried out during six seasons of Kashmir i.e., Sonth, Grishum, Vahrath, Harud, Wande, and Shishur respectively from September 2020 to August 2021 in Dal Lake Srinagar. In the present study Low diversity indices, such as the Shannon Wiener Index in the current study, generally point to a lack of species richness or variation within the community. This could be the result of things like pollution, habitat degradation, stress from the environment, or other disturbances that have shifted the abundance of some species or decreased the number of various species that are there

Keywords

Macroinvertebrates, Diversity Indices, Pollution, Anthropogenic pressure, Eutrophication, Bio-indicators

Conclusion

The current study aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of the variety and composition of benthic Macroinvertebrates in order to assess the aquatic health status by utilising the aquatic benthic fauna. A high index denotes more ecological complexity and variety. The current study's low index values unequivocally demonstrate the lake's considerable human activity and pollution which is the adverse cause of Eutrophication. These indicators are useful for evaluating ecosystem health and biodiversity, providing guidance for conservation initiatives, and tracking ecosystem reactions to changes in the environment across time (Thorne et al.,1997). Furthermore demonstrated was the value of biological data in the identification of pollution. Understanding the ecology of Macroinvertebrates is essential to comprehending the health of the lake environment. Thus, ideally, the study will serve as a reference repository for further research on the aquatic health of the area's freshwater ecosystems. In order for different organisations, including governmental, academic, and non-profit organisations, to take action for more effective sustainable management in the Dal Lake specifically and others around the nation generally, the information gathered is essential in providing baseline data

References

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How to cite this article

Kousar Jan, Waheed Ahmad Hurrah, Rajendra Chouhan and Shiasta Masarat (2023). Assessing the Effectiveness of using Macroinvertebrate Diversity Indices as Indicators of Ecosystem Health in Dal Lake Kashmir India. Biological Forum – An International Journal, 15(3): 911-915.