Effect of Physico-chemical properties of water on population of Macrozoobenthos of Kunghada Bandh Lake, Dist.- Gadchiroli, Maharashtra (India)

— Correlation study of physicochemical properties with biota of any fresh water body depicts the status of any ecosystem. Correlation of physicochemical parameters with benthic organisms especially macrozoobenthos of Kunghada Bandh Lake was organized to know the status of this fresh water ecosystem. This type of study is very useful to calculate the quality of water and restoration of such type of fragile ecosystem time to time. Samples were collected from five different sampling stations for two years i.e. from February 2012 to January 2013 and February 2013 to January 2014. Macrozoobenthos were collected from all five stations by using ‘Ekman's dredge’ and ‘Van-Vin grab’. Annelids observed more in monsoon and winter than summer. Total 09 species of arthropods were recorded. Minimum average of Arthropods was recorded in summer and maximum average of Arthropods in monsoon. The same trend was followed by molluscan species. The increased concentrations of most of the chemical parameters in summer affects on the population of most of the faunal component in decreased manner.


INTRODUCTION
The study of hydrobiology means relation between water and living thing i.e. micro and macro organisms present in aquatic ecosystems (Chatwal G.R.,1996). Kunghada Bandh Lake (latitude 20.22˚N and longitude 80.01˚E.) is constructed by British Government in 1890 present in Chamorshi Tahsil of Gadchiroli district which is easternmost part of Maharashtra state of India. Lake having area near about 5.95 sq. km. occupying water capacity 3.017 cubic density while the useful water storage is about 2.844 cubic density. It is the huge lake and having water spread area about 34.70 hectare. Perimeter of the lake is 1372 meter having main canal of 8.96 kilometer in length. This study is organised for the determination of correlation and effect of physicochemical parameters on population of benthic organisms especially macrozoobenthos of the lake. This type of study is always useful to maintain fair quality of water and restoration of such type of fragile ecosystem time to time.
The physico-chemical and biological factors affect the quality of water according to their characteristics and nature.
Benthic organisms or zoobenthos is the group of community of an organisms which live on, in or near the shore of water body, this zone is also known as profundal zone or benthic or bottom zone. Zoobenthos generally cannot survive in the upper parts of the water column due to the pressure difference between the lower and upper parts of the water column. The food chains of most of the benthic organisms are comprises dead and decaying matter and most of them are detrivores in nature. The main food sources of these organisms are planktons, algae and other organic runoff that comes from catchment area of lake. Various physic-chemical and biological factors play an ISSN: 2456-1878 https://dx.doi.org/10.22161/ijeab.64. 14 114 important role in the presence or absence of benthic organisms in any aquatic ecosystem. For this correlation study; macrobenthos having size more than 1 milimeter or 1,000 micrometer (µm) were taken in to consideration.

II. MATERIAL AND METHODS
The water samples and macrozoobenthos were collected from five different stations covering East, West, North, South and Centre part of lake. The water samples collected in a plastic can from each station and immediately analysed in the laboratory. Some parameters were analysed on the spot such as temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, etc. by using titrometric mobile test water kit and digital devices. The macrozoobenthos were collected from all five stations in white enamel tray by using 'Ekman's dredge' and 'Van-Vin grab'.
The samples were collected every month during morning period two years i.e. February 2012 to January 2014 and categorized them according different species. During the investigation various parameters like physical, chemical and biological were taken into consideration for correlation study. A= Area of the sampler (6" X 6" X 6").

III. RESULT AND DISCUSSION 1. Physico-chemical parameters:
Most of the physico-chemical factors affect the quality of water which results in fluctuation in frequency of benthic organisms (BIS.,2012). Turbidity (NTU) in water is caused by suspended matter, such as silt, clay, finely divided organic and organic matter, soluble coloured organic compounds, microscopic organisms, and planktons (AWWA-APHA., 2005). The acceptable limit of Turbidity in drinking water should not be more than 1 NTU (BIS, 2012). The minimum average of turbidity (6.3, ±0.25) was recorded in winter and maximum average of turbidity (7.32,±0.22) in monsoon as compared to the annual average of turbidity (6.78,±0.49) (Wilson, P.C., 2010).
Electrical conductivity (µmhos) is the measure of a material's ability to conduct or accommodate of an electric current or an electric charge. Minimum average of electrical conductivity (95.0, ± 5.43) was recorded in winter and maximum average of electrical conductivity (114.37, ± 9.81) and annual average of electrical conductivity is (107.46,±11.29). Conductivity mostly increases during summer because of surface evaporation of water which results in rising of concentration of salts while decline in conductivity during in winter is due to the sedimentation and utilization of minerals by growing phytoplankton and macrophytes (Puri, P.J et.al.2010).
A high level of hardness is not health concern but still up to 80 mg/lit is standard limit for drinkable water ((AWWA-APHA., 2005). Both calcium and magnesium are very useful for plants and animals. The acceptable maximum limit of total hardness in drinking water should be 200 mg/l (BIS, 2012). Minimum average of total hardness (63.16, ±2.96) was recorded in winter and maximum average of total hardness (86.95,±3.57) in summer as compared to the annual average of total hardness (76.02,±10.91). It might be due to high temperature in summer which results in the breakdown of rocks, less amount of water and domestic uses specially detergents (Sukund ,    Alkalinity of surface water is mainly a function of carbonate, bicarbonate and hydroxide content and it is taken as an indication of the concentration of these constituents. The acceptable limit of Total Alkalinity in drinking water should not be more than 200 mg/l (BIS, 2012). Minimum alkalinity (58.56, ±0.80) and maximum alkalinity (72.66,±2.92) respectively noted in winter and summer as compared to the annual average of alkalinity (67.15,±6.86).
Strong mineral acids, weak acids such as carbonic and acetic and hydrolyzing salts such as aluminium sulphates or iron may contribute to the measured acidity. Acids also contribute to corrosiveness and influences chemical speciation, biological processes, and chemical rates. It also reflects change in the quality of the source of water (AWWA-APHA., 2005). The low acidity (3.7, ±0.22) was recorded in winter and maximum acidity (5.16,±0.35) in summer. The acidity was mostly decline in winter and increase in summer as photosynthesis uses up dissolved carbon dioxide.
Phosphorous is very essential nutrient as all living organisms require phosphate to make DNA and ATP. Animals easily meet their phosphate needs by eating other living things. Plants absorb phosphate from ground and rocks. The minimum average of phosphate (0.11, ±0.04) was recorded in winter and maximum average of phosphate (1.14,±0.69) in monsoon as compared to the annual average of phosphate (0.71,±0.59). Phosphate mostly increases during monsoon due to increase in algal bloom and surface run-off while decreases in summer due to decrease in algal bloom and less vegetation in water (Welch, P.S., 1952).
Nitrate is an important source of nitrogen for plant and animal life. Animal matter, human and animal waste, household septic systems and fertilizers are the common sources of nitrogen. Excess nitrogen in drinking water has been found to cause methenoglobinemia or Blue Baby Syndrome  (19.84,±2.23). Sulphate mostly increases during monsoon due to surface run-off which include fertilizers while decreases in summer due to decrease in surface run-off in water (Kaur H.et.al, 1996).
Chloride concentrations vary considerably according to the mineral content of the earth in any given area. Chlorides are dissolved from rock and soils The minimum average of chloride (4.77, ±0.31) maximum average of chloride (6.57,±0.4) in Summer and monsoon respectively as compared to the annual average of chloride (5.92,±0.9). Chloride mostly increases during monsoon due to surface runoff (AWWA-APHA., 2005).

Macrozoobenthos:
Benthic organisms play a very important role in the ecosystems. Depending upon the size they are mainly categorized into three types-Macrozoobenthos, Meiozoobenthos and Microzoobenthos (Mare M.F., 1942).
The influence of benthic organisms varies according to the quality and quantity of water body    , 1976).Oligochaeta mostly prefer organically rich environment and remain dominated in severally polluted conditions. Oligochaeta are adapted to every kind of water and are found in vegetation, algal bloom, in floating rotting material and bottom mud. During investigation, annelids observed more in monsoon and winter than summer (Wetzel, R.G., 1975).
Arthropods are the largest phylum with a great diversity. Total 9 species of arthropods were observed from lake i.e. Hydracarina sp., Gelasimus sp, Dragonfly sp, Damselfly sp, Culex sp, Anopheles sp, Tabanus sp., Nepa cinerea and Ranatra elongata. During the study minimum population (288.89 N/M 2 ) of arthropods were recorded in summer while maximum (694.44 N/M 2 ) in monsoon season. Arthropods were covering 37.07 % out of the total macrozoobenthos population. The seasonal fluctuation in arthropod population was observed due to quantity of water and depth of water. The aquatic insects are known to have strong relationship with water fluctuations (Ebert T.A. and Balko., 1987). As hardness, carbonates and bicarbonates increase in water the stages of developmental stages to observed minimum (Fraser F.C.,1934 andLonkar S.S. et.al., 2014). Dipterans noted more when dissolved oxygen increases with decreasing temperature. Such type of favourable conditions affects on population of dipterans (Kodarkar M.S., 1995 andMathew P.M., 1978).Hemiptera are mainly found at the S3 and S4 sites of lake as these sites were received maximum runoff contains organic substances (Kaushik S. and Saksena D.N., 1991).
Phylum Mollusca is the second largest phylum with great diversities and species richness, basically gastropoda and bivalvia are the only two classes represented the molluscan in fresh water bodies (Shanmugam A. and Vairamani S., 2005). In all 7 species (4 gastropodes and 3 bivalves) were recorded from this fresh water aquatic ecosystem i.e. Vivipara bengalensis, Melania striatella, Fanus ater, Lymnea luteola, Parreysia corrugata, Lamellidens marginalis, and Lamellidens correanuI.
Minimum population of Molluscan (344.44N/M 2 ) was recorded in summer and maximum (805.56N/M 2 ) in monsoon as compared to the annual average of Molluscan (601.85N/M 2 ) covering 40.02 % out of the total population of macrozoobenthos of lake. As the pH of lake water not acidic the population of mollusca is in fair quantity (Apte D., 1988). With the increased volume of water the population shows more during rainy season (Bath K.S. et.al, 1999 and Tijare R.V., 2012).

IV. CONCLUSION
Various physic-chemical parameters play an important role in water quality as well as diversity and richness of organisms. Mostly temperature is a very important factor. Others factors like pH, Dissolved oxygen, free CO2, Suspended solids, etc. also affect the frequency of macrozoobenthos. It was mostly observed macrozoobenthos found very less in summer season than monsoon and winter season. Phylum Arthropoda were dominated among the all group which is followed by mollusca and then annelids.