1Department of Fisheries Resource Management, College of Fisheries, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Ludhiana, Punjab, India
2Department of Harvest and Post-Harvest Technology, College of Fisheries, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Ludhiana, Punjab, India
*Corresponding author: SN Datta; Email: surjya30740@gmail.com
Online published on 4 January, 2018.
The present study was carried out to evaluate the fish biodiversity and catch composition in Harike Wetland, Punjab. Total 37 fish species were recorded from Harike wetland and these belong to 14 families and 25 genera. Maximum number of species (16) recorded under family Cyprinidae followed by Bagridae (4 species) and Siluridae (3 species). Maximum number of species was recorded in May and minimum in July. Dendrogram from Bray-Curtis similarity matrix revealed close association among family Bagridae, Siluridae Channidae Notopteridae and family Cyprinidae dominated the catch composition and established as the controlling factor of the overall fish catch composition in the Harike wetland. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) ordination of the fish family revealed family Cyprinidae contributed the maximum variability. Shannon's index revealed light polluted nature of Harike wetland during pre-monsoon whereas, during the monsoon moderate polluted nature of Harike wetland has been observed. Pielou's evenness index revealed moderate evenness of the abundance of the fish population in Harike wetland. Margalef Richness Index revealed richness in fish biodiversity of this wetland. It can be concluded that despite of different natural and anthropogenic disturbances the wetland is still supporting a good number of fish species which is to be conserved.
Harike Wetland, fish biodiversity, Cyprinidae, Principal component analysis (PCA), Shannon's index
