BIODIVERSITY OF PERIPHYTIC COMMUNITY IN A FRESH WATERBODY OF ALIGARH

Maryam

Abstract: The present investigation on Diggi Pond, located at a distance of about 2 km south-east of the university campus (Lat.27⁰-54^`N long.78-04´E), was conducted during May, 2007-April, 2008 for studying the biodiversity of periphytic community along with various physico-chemical parameters. During the entire study, periphytic community showed a seasonal distribution. Maximum density of periphyton was found in winter (2253 No. /cm²) on natural substrata and in post-monsoon (1191 No. /cm²) on artificial substrata, whereas minimum periphyton density was observed during post winter (479 No. /cm²) on natural substrata and during post winter (842 No. /cm²) on artificial substrata.

Periphytic community on natural substrata was found to be more diversified than that of artificial substrata. During the entire period of the study, five groups of plantperiphyton, namely Bacillariophyceae (18 species), Chlorophyceae (24 species), Myxophyceae (10 species), Euglenophyceae (2 species) and Xanthophyceae (3 species), and four groups of zooperiphyton i.e. Protozoa (2 species) Rotifera (15 species), Cladocera (4 species) and Copepoda (4 species) were found to be present on natural substrata. On artificial substrata, three groups of plantperiphyton i.e. Bacillariophyceae (17 species) Chlorophyceae (13 species), Myxophyceae (7 species) and two groups of zooperiphyton i.e. Protozoa (2 species) and Rotifera (5 species) were found to be present on all the three types of artificial substrata i.e. wooden block, stone and glass substrata. During the entire study, among total periphyton density, bacillariophyceae was the only group which was found as dominant group through out the year.