Abstract

The study was conducted in order to determine the abundance of benthic macroinvertebrates in Doodhganga stream passing through Brenwar forest (Yousmarg) Kashmir. Altogether 6 orders under 2 phyla namely: Arthropoda and Annelida were recorded from the stream. Inspite of the torrential flow of the stream, the hard substrata like boulders and cobbles provided a stable habitat for diverse number of macroinvertebrates. The diversity of benthic community helped to assess the health of the stream. On the basis of Hilsenhoff biotic index the study area was found pristine with negligible organic pollution. The seasonal dynamics showed greater diversity and density in summers than in winters.

Key words: Benthic, diversity, pollution, stream.