https://doi.org/10.51514/JSTR.6.4.2024.13-20
Tapash Debnath, Monojit Ray, Poornima Sharma and Suraj SK
ABSTRACT
Microalgae of river water are very important due to their primary productivity in the food chain of aquatic ecosystems, biological assessment of water quality, abatement capacity of pollution, antimicrobial capacity and as a source of biologically active metabolites. On the other hand, algal diversity studies are important for proper documentation of algal flora indicating the ecological status of the aquatic environment. Recent surveys have revealed that the algal flora of the Kopai River has not been explored properly. The present work was the outcome of the extensive survey of the three different points or ghats of Kopai river during 2022-2024 in different months of the year to cover the variation of algae in all the seasons of the year. With the algae, physico-chemical parameters and biological significant ions of river water (Kopai) also be analysed during 2022-2024 in different months of the year. Samples are collected from three spots of Kopai River, namely Kankalitala, Kopai River View Point and Kopai River Railway Bridge (Near Mahishdal). All the sampling sites are located within Birbhum district, West Bengal, India. Kopai River is a tributary of the Bakreshwar River. It flows past such towns as Santiniketan, Bolpur, Kankalitala, Kirnahar and Labhpur in Birbhum district in the India state of West Bengal. Kopai rive contains sweet water with a lotic ecosystem. Water is the main constituent of Earth’s hydrosphere it acts as a universal solvent. Though it is a transparent, tasteless, odourless and nearly colourless chemical substance, the biodiversity of any river depends on the physico-chemical parameters and biological significant ions of river water. Fresh water algae and their occurrence, diversity and distribution were interpreted with water quality and its physico-chemical parameters. Results revealed that 28 algal taxa belonging to 22 genera and 6 classes (Cyanophyceae, Chlorophyceae, Xanthophyceae, Bacillariophyceae, Zygnematophyceae, Cryptophyceae) are identified. Among them 12 unbranched filamentous species, 3 branched filamentous species, 9 unicellular species, 3 colonial species and 1 siphonacious species. The present study not only the variation of algae presents in the Kopai river but also it helps for future study of the aquatic environment.
Keywords: Ecosystem, Algal diversity, West Bengal, Cyanophyceae, Chlorophyceae, Xanthophyceae etc.