Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Assessment of Water Quality and Biodiversity Status of Alaknanda River at Garhwal, Uttarakhand: A Case Study

  • Conference paper
  • First Online:
Environmental Pollution and Natural Resource Management

Abstract

Biotic and abiotic factors of a river compel an aquatic ecosystem, these factors are interrelated with each other. A healthy freshwater ecosystem denotes the assimilative capacity of a water body in terms of diverseness. Aquatic biodiversity of a freshwater ecosystem are very important for ecosystem services. Some environmental changes like climate change, anthropogenic factors, competition for survival, aquatic habitat loss etc. are responsible for the loss of biotic components in a water stream. The present study was aimed to assessed the interrelation between abiotic and biotic parameters of River Alaknanda. Water samples were collected from a 172 km long stretch of river during 2017–2018. The physico-chemical parameters viz. air temperature, water temperature, relative humidity, rainfall, light intensity, depth, pH, total dissolved solids, dissolved oxygen, biochemical oxygen demand and chemical oxygen demand were analysed by following the standards method. All the physico-chemical parameters were noted below the prescribed permissible limits of WHO/BIS. Biological parameters as phytoplankton, zooplankton, macroinvertebrates and fishes were identified with the help of identification keys. A total of 32 species of phytoplankton, 19 species of zooplankton, 33 species of macro benthos and 21 fish species were found in the sampling zones of river. All the biotic and abiotic parameters evaluated by performing canonical correspondence analysis on observed data. According to this study findings, CCA is suitable tool for aquatic biodiversity and ecological habitat parameters to scrutinize the river health. This tool is very useful to evaluate the significant relation between biotic components and physico-chemical parameters of an aquatic ecosystem.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 149.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 199.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 199.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Abbreviations

CCA:

Canonical Correspondence Analysis

DO:

Dissolved Oxygen

BOD:

Biochemical Dissolved Oxygen

COD:

Chemical Oxygen Demand

RH:

Relative Humidity

TDS:

Total Dissolved Solids

AT:

Air Temperature

WT:

Water Temperature

WHO:

World Health Organization

BIS:

Beareau of Indian Standards

References

  1. Hilt, S., Brothers, S., Jeppesen, E., Veraart, A. J., & Kosten, S. (2017) Translating regime shifts in shallow lakes into changes in ecosystem functions and services. BioScience, 67(10): 928–936. https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/bix106

  2. WWF (2020) Living Planet Report, Bending the curve of biodiversity loss. Almond, R.E.A., Grooten M., Petersen, T. (Eds). WWF, Gland, Switzerland.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Mishra, B.K., Badola, R. & Bhardwaj, A.K. (2009) Social issues and concerns in biodiversity conservation: experiences from wildlife protected areas in India, Tropical Ecology, 50(1): 147-161.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Jenny, J.P., Anneville, O., Arnaud, F., Baulaz, Y., Bouffard, D., Domaizon, I., Bocaniov, S.A., Chèvre, N., Dittrich, M., Dorioz, J.-M., Dunlop, E.S., Dur, G., Guillard, J., Guinaldo, T., Jacquet, S., Jamoneau, A., Jawed, Z., Jeppesen, E., Krantzberg, G., Lenters, J., Leoni, B., Meybeck, M., Nava, V., Nõges, T., Nõges, P., Patelli, M., Pebbles, V., Perga, M.-E., Rasconi, S., Ruetz, C.R., Rudstam, L., Salmaso, N., Sapna, S., Straile, D., Tammeorg, O., Twiss, M.R., Uzarski, D.G., Ventelä, A.-M., Vincent, W.F., Wilhelm, S.W., Wängberg, S.A. & Weyhenmeyer, G.A., (2020) Scientists’ Warning to Humanity: Rapid degradation of the world’s large lakes. J. Great Lakes Res. 5: 1-15.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Reid, A.J., Carlson, A.K., Creed, I.F., Eliason, E.J., Gell, P.A., Johnson, P.T.J., Kidd, K.A., MacCormack, T.J., Olden, J.D., Ormerod, S.J., Smol, J.P., Taylor, W.W., Tockner, K., Vermaire, J.C., Dudgeon, D. & Cooke, S.J. (2019) Emerging threats and persistent conservation challenges for freshwater biodiversity. Biol. Rev. 94, 849–873.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Díaz, S., Settele, J., Brondízio, E.S., Ngo, H.T., Agard, J., Arneth, A., Balvanera, P., Brauman, K.A., Butchart, S.H.M., Chan, K.M.A., Garibaldi, L.A., Ichii, K., Liu, J., Subramanian, S.M., Midgley, G.F., Miloslavich, P., Molnár, Z., Obura, D., Pfaff, A., Polasky, S., Purvis, A., Razzaque, J., Reyers, B., Chowdhury, R.R., Shin, Y.-J., Visseren-Hamakers, I., Willis, K.J., Zayas, C.N., (2019) Pervasive human-driven decline of life on Earth points to the need for transformative change. Science 366.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Allan, E., Weisser, W., Weigelt, A., Roscher, C., Fischer, M. & Hillebrand, H. (2011) More diverse plant communities have higher functioning over time due to turnover in complementary dominant species. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. Pp-218.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Tian, W., Zhang, H., Zhang, J., Zhao, L., Miao, M., Huang, H., 2017. Biodiversity effects on resource use efficiency and community turnover of plankton in Lake Nansihu, China, Environ. Sci. Pollut. Res, 24: 11279-11288.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Kotnala, G., Dobhal, S. & Chauhan, J.S. (2016) Monitoring of self -purification capacity of river Alaknanda stretch at Srinagar, Uttarakhand, India, International Journal of River Basin Management, 5: 491–498.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Mittal, S., Tripathi, G. & Sethi, D. (2008) Development strategy for the hill districts of Uttarakhand. Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations, 80–95.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Dhapola, M. Rao, S.N. & Bhadula, S. (2015) Hydro-biological characterization of Haripur Reservoir (Gularboj) in Uttarakhand with special reference to pollution status. Report and Opinion, 7(8): 12-19.

    Google Scholar 

  12. AHEC (2011) Study on assessment of cumulative impact of hydropower projects in Alaknanda and Bhagirathi basins up to Devprayag. Ministry of Environment and Forest, New Delhi, India, Chapter 7: 1-13.

    Google Scholar 

  13. APHA, American Public Health Association (2012) Standard methods for the examination of water and waste water. 22ndedition, Washington D.C. New York. Pp 1256.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Wetzel, R.G. & Likens, G.E. (1991) Limnological analyses. second edition Springer-verlag New York. Pp-175.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Palmer, C.M. (1972) A composite rating of Algae tolerating organic pollution load. Journal of Phycology 5:78-82.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Needham, J.G. & Needham, P.R. (1978) A guide to the study of freshwater biology,

    Google Scholar 

  17. Halden, Day. Inc. Pul. San. Francisco. Pp-225.

    Google Scholar 

  18. Pennak, R.W. (1953) Comparative limnology of eight Colorado mountain lakes, Univ. Colo. Studies. Ser. Biol. 2:1–75.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Edmondson, W.T. (1974) Trophic relation of the zooplankton. Trans. Am. Microse. Soc. 76: 225-246.

    Google Scholar 

  20. Jhingran, A. (1991) Inland fishes of India and adjacent countries. 2volumes. Oxford and IBH Publishing Co. Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi, 29: 1158.

    Google Scholar 

  21. Jayaram, K.C. (1999) The freshwater fishes of the Indian Region. Narendra Publishing House, Delhi. Pp-551.

    Google Scholar 

  22. Kamboj, V. & Kamboj, N. (2020) Spatial and temporal variation of zooplankton assemblage in the mining-impacted stretch of Ganga River, Uttarakhand, India. Environmental Science and Pollution Research 1–12.

    Google Scholar 

  23. Wang. J., Jiancheng, H., Zhengfei, L. & Zhicai, X. (2019) Seasonal shifts in the assembly dynamics of benthic macroinvertebrate and diatom communities in a subtropical river. Ecology and Evolution 1: 1-13.

    Google Scholar 

  24. Medupin, C. (2020) Spatial and temporal variation of benthic macroinvertebrate communities along an urban river in Greater Manchester, UK. Environmental Monitoring Assessment 192–84.

    Google Scholar 

  25. Huttunen, K.L., Muotka, T., Karjalainen, S.M., Laamanen, T. & Aroviita, J. (2020) Excess of nitrogen reduces temporal variability of stream diatom assemblages. Science of the total environment 1–32.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The author is gratefully acknowledged to the Department of Science and Technology, New Delhi (IN), National Institute of Hydrology, Roorkee and Department of Zoology and Environmental Sciences, G.K. (Deemed to be University), Haridwar for their financial support to this research work.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Environmental Hydrology Division, National Institute of Hydrology, Roorkee, India

    Garima Tomar & D. S. Malik

  2. Department of Zoology and Environmental Sciences, Gurukula Kangri Vishwavidyalaya, Haridwar, 249404, UK

    Garima Tomar, Amit Kumar Sharma & Vishal Kamboj

  3. School of Applied and Life Sciences, Uttaranchal University, Dehradun, India

    Vikas Kumar

Authors
  1. Garima Tomar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. D. S. Malik
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Amit Kumar Sharma
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Vishal Kamboj
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Vikas Kumar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Garima Tomar .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Petroleum and Energy Studies, Dehradun, India

    Kanchan Deoli Bahukhandi

  2. Department of Zoology and Environmental Science, Gurukul Kangri Vishwavidyalaya, Haridwar, India

    Nitin Kamboj

  3. Department of Zoology and Environmental Science, BFIT Group of Institutions, Dehradun, India

    Vishal Kamboj

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2022 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this paper

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this paper

Tomar, G., Malik, D.S., Sharma, A.K., Kamboj, V., Kumar, V. (2022). Assessment of Water Quality and Biodiversity Status of Alaknanda River at Garhwal, Uttarakhand: A Case Study. In: Bahukhandi, K.D., Kamboj, N., Kamboj, V. (eds) Environmental Pollution and Natural Resource Management . Springer Proceedings in Earth and Environmental Sciences. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-05335-1_8

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation