Biodiversity of aquatic insects in relation to physico-chemical parameters of Shekh Turab stream

Abstract

Ecological integrity and their properties of any aquatic environment are important to monitor its stability and any change to the ecological system. The current work was undertaken to study the community of aquatic insects and physio-chemical variables of the Shekh Turab stream in periods extended for two months, one in July and the other in November 2017. The aquatic insects’ samples collected from five sites with three replications/site. The physio-chemical parameters of water were water temperature, air temperature (˚C), pH, electrical conductivity EC (μS.cm-1), total dissolved solid TDS (mg.l-1), dissolved oxygen DO (mg.l-1), BOD5 (mg.l-1), alkalinity (mg CaCO3.l-1), bicarbonate HCO3 (mg.l-1), total hardness (mgCaCO3.l-1), calcium (mg Ca2+.l-1), magnesium (mg Mg2+.l-1), nitrate (mg NO3-N.l-1), chloride (mg.l-1), sodium (mg.l-1), potassium(mg.l-1) and sulfate (mg SO4.l-1). The correlation between physio-chemical parameters and different biological taxa were statistically tested. The correlation analysis showed significant relationship. In phylum Arthropoda, a total of 5 insect species belonging to 2 orders; Ephemeroptera and Diptera depicted the Shesk Turab stream macroinvertebrates. Depending on Shannon-Weiner index, species diversity varied from 0.365 to 0.755 at site 4 and 2 respectively.

Keywords

• macroinvertebrate insects
• benthic biodiversity
• relationships
• lotic water ecosystem
• physio-chemical parameters