Living with Wetlands: A Case Study from the Wetlands ( Beels ) of Barpeta District, Assam - Aquatic Ecosystem: Biodiversity, Ecology and Conservation - page 321

Table 19.19 Catches of different species fi shes and their
wetland distributions

Mesocyclops leuckarty, Mesocyclops hyalinus,
Neodiaptomus sp ., Nauplius ( calanoid ) ,

Catch
(%)

Nauplius ( cyclopoid )
Cladocera
Moina brachiata, Diaphanosoma sp ., Alona affi -
nis, Bosmina longirostris
Macrophy tes : 2.1-7.2 (

Wetland
distribution Group and species

Major
Labeo rohita 17 Mid column

Cirrhinus mrigala 8 Bottom

×̅ .4.65) kg/m 2

Catla catla 7 Surface

Category and Types
Submerged:
Vallisneria spiralis, Niasindica, Hydrilla verticil-
lata, Trapa bispinosa
Floating Leaved:
Euryale ferox, Hygrorhiza sp .
Emergent:
Alpinia sp ., Alocasia sp .
Floating:
Pistia sp ., E. crassipes, Salvinia sp .

Hypophthalmichthys molitrix 5 Surface

Cyprinus carpio 5 Bottom

Ctenopharyngodon idella 8 Spatial

Channa marulius 3 Spatial

Notopterus chitala 2 Spatial

Intermediate
Notopterus notopterus

6 Spatial

Ompok pabo 1 Spatial

Xenentodon cancila 2 Surface and

peripheral

Clarias batrachus 9 Bottom

Channa punctatus 7 Surface and

peripheral

Fishes

Minor
Puntius sophore 7 Surface and

littoral

Fish species composition recorded during the
study period is presented in the Table 19.19 .
The major fi sh group constitutes about 55 %
followed by intermediate group (25 %) and
minor group (18 %) in the catch record. The
non-piscean crustaceans, Macrobrachium sp.,
are also recorded. According to the fi shermen
of the locality, some fi shes were abundant in
the past, namely, Nandus nandus, Gudusia
chapra, Salmostoma bacaila, Rasbora elenga,
Aspidoparia morar, Aspidoparia jaya and
Amblypharyngodon mola , but have disap-
peared from the wetlands at present. The spe-
cies composition recorded during the period of
investigations is summarized hereunder.
Labeo rohita, Labeo calbasu, Cirrhinus mri-
gala, Catla catla, Notopterus chitala, Notopterus
notopterus, Wallago attu, Channa striata,
Channa punctata, Channa marulius, Anabas tes-
tudineus, Mystus vittatus, Amblypharyngodon
mola, Clarias batrachus, Heteropneus tesfossilis,
Puntius sophore, Rasbora daniconius, Chanda
ranga, Chanda nama, Xenentodon cancila,
Colisa fasciatus, Mystus puncalus, Mystus ocula-
tus, Lepidocephalichthys guntea, Tetraodon
cutcutia, Bedis bedis, Glossogobius giuris,
Macrobrachium sp. (non-piscean).

Puntius conchonius 4 Surface and

littoral

Chanda nama 1 Littoral and

bottom

Chanda ranga 1 Surface and

littoral

Mystus vittatus 5 Spatial

Non-piscean
Macrobrachium spp .

2 Bottom and

mixed

The wetlands exhibit a productive range of p H ,
DO, FCO 2 , TA and temperature, while total hard-
ness remains far below the productive range. The
p H profi le of the studied wetlands exhibits circum
neutral to alkaline range. Since the 5.2-7.9 is the
most productive range of p H , the upper limit of p H
in the wetlands was found to be slightly high
which are equivalent to the pH of normal sea
water. However, the obtained range of p H is
highly favourable for Indian major carp popula-
tion. The dissolved oxygen and free carbon diox-
ide showing ranges of 5.4-8.2 mg/l and
0.0-14.0 mg/l, respectively, fairly indicate highly
productive condition for culture of indigenous
and exotic carps in the wetlands. Total alkalinity