EFFECT OF LIMNOCHEMICAL VARIABLES ON MACROPHYTE COMPOSITION PATTERN IN WETLANDS OF BIRBHUM DISTRICT, WEST BENGAL, INDIASANTANU GUPTA * AND DEBNATH PALITAbstract The relationships between macrophyte assemblage and ten limnochemical variables were assessed across twenty wetlands in Birbhum District, West Bengal, India. A total of 57 macrophytic species belonging to 26 families were recorded during the study period (December 2010 to January 2012). Macrophyte species were categorized into emergent (65.5%), floating (25%) and submerged (9.5%) groups. Cyperaceae (17%), Lemnaceae (15%) and Poaceae (15%) showed higher abundance followed by Nymphaeceae (8%), Pontederiaceae (7%), Hydrocharitaceae (6%), Araceae (5.5%), Asteraceae (5%) and Amaranthaceae (4%) with moderate abundance. CCA revealed that macrophyte composition in wetlands of Birbhum district was affected by pH, nitrate nitrogen and phosphate phosphorus. Araceae, Amaranthaceae, Nelumbonaceae, Asterace etc were noted to prefer aquatic environment with lower alkalinity, chloride and phosphate content along with cooler water with reduced hardness and pH value. The present study revealed the strong limnochemical environment preference pattern of aquatic macrophytes in this eco-region of West Bengal, India.
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