STUDIES ON MONTHLY VARIATIONS IN BIOLOGICAL AND PHYSICO-CHEMICAL PARAMETERS OF BRACKISH WATER FISH POND, MUZAFFAR GARH, PAKISTAN

Abstract

Diversity of plankton life were used a s a measure of water quality of a brackish water aquaculture pond. Phytoplanktons were abundant as compared to zooplanktons. During the study period total of 48 genera were observed in which 38 genera were of Phytoplanktons. Those genera, present in different divisions, were Cyanophyta (10) Xanthophyta (3) Bacillariophyta (7) Chlorophyta (13) Chrysophyta (3) and Cryptophyta (2). The genera of Zooplanktons were 10 including 8 genera of Protozoa, 1 of Cladoceran and 1 of Rotifer. Total number of organisms was 575 out of which 472 were Phytoplanktons and 103 were of Zooplanktons. Diversity index of phytoplankton ranged from 2.6 to 3.55 and diversity index of zooplanktons ranged between 0.48 to 1.67. Various physicochemical
parameters were studied in brackish water pond at Muzaffargarh, near Multan (Pakistan). The air temperature ranged from 23.75 (0.274) to 45.667 (0.058) oC and the water temperature ranged 15 (0.894) to 39.917 (0.564) oC. Light penetration varied from 12 (0.894) to 27.0 (0.894) cm. pH and dissolved oxygen fluctuated between 7.30 (0.559) to 8.19 (0.689) and 7.65 (1.084) to 8.75 (0.935) mg l-1 respectively. Salinity and electric conductivity ranged 2.965 (0.18)
to 4.007 (2.89) g l-1 and 12.89 (0.018) to 17.42 (0.289) ms cm-1 respectively. Total solids and total dissolved solids varied from 11.33 (1.05) to 15.00 (1.414) mg l-1 and 9.99 (0.009) to 15.99 (0.009) mg l-1. Total volatile solids and total
dissolved volatile solids fluctuated between 1.15 (0.1049) to 2.00 (0.707) mg l-1 and 1.33 (0.0089) to 2.33 (0.637) mg l-1 respectively.