Fish, Plankton Biodiversity and Physico-Chemical Parameters of Five Lakes of Deh-Akro II

Abstract

Water samples from five extremely important lakes of Deh-Akro II, which are declared Ramsar sites and known for huge populations of endangered crocodile species Crocodilus palustris were analyzed for plankton and fish diversity, and physicochemical characteristics. Salinity 6.1-37g/L, Total dissolved solids (TDS) 5674-36608 mg/L, dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.11-9.37 mg/L, Chloride 1618-8862 mg/L, Sulphate 186-880 mg/L, bicorbonate 100-450 mg/L, Silica 0.5-1.5 mg/L, hardness 110-1000 mg/L, Calcium 24-225 mg/L, Magnesium16-72 mg/L, Sodium 1000-5600 mg/L, Potassium 75-210 mg/L, Iron 40-245 µg/L, Manganese (below detection limit), Chromium BDL-26 µg/L, Nickel 6-92 µg/L and Arsenic 10-25 µg/L from four lakes indicated most of values within the limits of drinking water for livestock by Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). However, one of the lakes, Morakhi, indicated higher contents of salts. Zooplankton were represented with fourteen (14) species of rotifera, three (3) species of copepoda one (1) species of cladocera and two (2) species of ostracoda. The genus brachionus was the most dominant among the rotifers. All the copepoda recorded belong to hyper saline species. Among the phytoplankton, Bascillariophycea was the most diverse group recording eleven (11) species. The only fish species recorded was Oreochromis mossambicus, which is also adapted to higher salinity ranges. Salinity was the key parameter driving the fish biodiversity of the lake Deh-Akro II lakes.