Phytoplanktonic Diversity and Seasonal Fluctuations in Surinsar Wetland, Jammu (J&K) – A Ramsar Site

Phytoplankton are the unicellular, microscopic, free floating plants found in almost all the aquatic ecosystems. The phytoplanktonic forms obtain nearly whole of their metabolic needs from the waters in which they inhabit and any changes in the water solutions and the solutes within, significantly affect the phytoplankton to a subsequent degree, therefore, they directly speak of the conditions of their aquatic milieu. A study on the seasonal fluctuation of phytoplanktonic diversity in relation to some physico-chemical factors was undertaken in a sub-tropical freshwater Lake Surinsar – A Ramsar Site for a period of two years extending from April 2005 to March 2007. Certain physico- chemical parameters such as temperature, pH, transparency, DO, FCO2, CO3^−-, HCO3⁻, Ca⁺⁺, Mg⁺⁺ and Cl⁻ were also analyzed which showed marked seasonal variations. A total 38 genera of phytoplankton were identified out of which 16 belonged to class Chlorophyceae, 13 to Bacillariophyceae, and 9 to Cyanophyceae. Chlorophyceae was found to be the most dominant class qualitatively while quantitatively, Bacillariophyceae was the most dominant. The total phytoplankton count exhibited a bimodal peak, one in post monsoon and the other in spring.