Abstract

The present study on Wular Lake, located at a distance of 34 km from Srinagar city of Kashmir valley, was undertaken from March, 2007 to February, 2008 to study various limnological parameters including plankton. A total of 64 phytoplankton spp. were identified. Bacillariophyceae was found to be the most dominant group at the selected site. The population density of bacillariophyceae varied from a minimum of 32 No./ml in the month of June, 2007 to a maximum of 417 No./ml in the month of January, 2008. The most abundant species in terms of population density were Amphora spp.,Cyclotella spp., Longissima elongatum, Navicula spp. and Nitzchia spp. Chlorophyceae formed the second most dominant group of phytoplankton with Chlorella spp.,Pediastrum spp., Spirogyra spp. and Volvox spp. as the most abundant species. The number of chlorophyceae varied from minimum of 25 No./ml during December, 2007 and February 2008 to a maximum of 222 No./ml in May, 2007. Amongst myxophyceae (cyanophyceae), Anabaena spp. with population density of 93 No./ml was found to be the most dominant spp. at the selected site. Euglenophyceae formed the least represented group of phytoplankton which showed the peak population in spring. Chlorophyceae and cyanophyceae showed positive correlation with water temperature (r = 0.400 and 18. r = 0.744), respectively, at the selected site whereas bacillariophyceae and 19 euglenophyceae showed the negative correlation with water temperature that is, r = -0.818 and r = -0.389), respectively.

Key words: Phytoplankton, Wular Lake, physico-chemical characteristics, eutrophication.