ID: 52327
Title: Environmental assessment of Kabar Lake
Author: J.R.B.Alfred and Ramakrishna
Editor: Director, Zoological Survey of India
Year: 2002
Publisher: Zoological Surey of India, Kokata, November, 2002
Source: Centre for Ecological Science,Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore-12
Reference: None
Subject: Fauna of Kabar Lake Wetland
Keywords: Enivronmental degradation, cost benefit ratio, Environmenta Impact Assessment
Abstract: Increased public awarness for halting environmental degradation have now necessiated environmental appraisal of all projects and natural ecosystems such as wetlands on cost benefit ratio, in terms not just of ecology nad environment but also on the socio-economic scale. Therefore, there is an imperative need to collect information on the overall impact on the regional ecology, forest, vegetation, wildlife, associated flora and fauna, besides any local heritage such as archeological and asesthetic values. In essence, the overall extent of benefit/ damage for such systems are scrutinised. Impact assessments are prepared not to under estimate the proposals of the projects by highlighting the inadequencies or deficiencies, but to arrive at a conclusion, so that better appraisal is obtained with least disturbance to the nature we inherit. Thus Environmental Impact Assessment is defined as "An activity designed to identify and predict the impact on diogeographical environment and on the man ' s health and well being, of the legislative proposal,policies, programmes and operational procedures to interpret and communicate information about the impacts" (Munn. 1979). In other words, it is the environmental plannig based on past records, present observation and for future utilisation in a best possible manner.
Location: 241
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 52326
Title: Aves
Author: Ramakrishna, E.V.Muley, S.Z.Siddiqui and M.Vasanth
Editor: Director, Zoological Survey of India
Year: 2002
Publisher: Zoological Surey of India, Kokata, November, 2002
Source: Centre for Ecological Science,Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore-12
Reference: None
Subject: Fauna of Kabar Lake Wetland
Keywords: Bird nekton, habitat, Dr. Salim Ali, ornithology, winter visitors, niche
Abstract: The avifauna of this huge freshwater wetland of North Bihar is based primarily on the first hand field observation by the scientists of the Zoological Survey of India, Freshwater Biological Station. The rainy season observation were made by Dr. E.V.Muley and summer season covered exhaustively for two consequietive years by Dr. M.Vasanth. Two of us (Ramakrishna & Siddiqui) extensively covered the winter seasons during the study period. The observations on the bird nekton were enriched in no less measure by Sri. Ramavilas Sahni, Boatman, Kabar lake wetland, Begusarai. His excellent knowledge of the birds, their habitats has to be seen to believe. He humbly attributes all these to no less a legend than Dr. Salim Ali, the doyen of Ornithology in the Indian subcontinent, as he had the privilege of accompanying the master Ornithologist during his field visists to the wetland. The list has also been updated using the other relevant published information on the lake (Singh & Roy, 1990 & WWF India and AWB, 1993). The rich vast and varied diversity of the bird fauna both in species content and number may be attributed to the unique ecological habitat the lake offers. The composition of the bird community, especially the aquatic species as also the winter visitors is closely linked to the trophic (food) and other niche the lake ecosystem provides vis-a-vis the physico-chemical milieu. The abundance of any particular group/groups of birds too appear closely correlated to the exclusive ecology of the freshwater wetland.
Location: 241
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 52325
Title: Reptilia
Author: D.P.Sanyal, S.K.Talukdar and G. Duttagupta
Editor: Director, Zoological Survey of India
Year: 2002
Publisher: Zoological Surey of India, Kokata, November, 2002
Source: Centre for Ecological Science,Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore-12
Reference: None
Subject: Fauna of Kabar Lake Wetland
Keywords: Gavialis gangeticus, reptile, Gmelin, Patna
Abstract: Our knowledge of the reptilian fauna of Bihar as a whole is very limited to stray records. Smith (1931, 1935 & 1943) and Wall (1905-1919) although have extensively contributed to the reptile fauna of India and recorded innumerable species of reptiles from different parts of India and adjacent countries, have focused very little on the reptiles of Bihar. Lydekker (1889) and Annandale (1913) have dealt with the Tortoises of Chota Nagpur (South Bihar). Annandale (1912) further contributed to the reptile fauna of Pareshnath Hills (Bihar). Venkateswarlu (1972) published a list of reptiles from Bihar without mentioning the place of collection, while Sanyal and Nandi (1976) contributed to a collection of reptiles from Patna, and Venkateswarlu, Bholanath and Sanyal (1972) recorded the occurrence of Gharial, Gavialis gangeticus (Gmelin) from Patna. We have the opportunity to study a small lot of reptile collections made by the survey of the Freshwater Biological Station, Zoological Survey of India, Hyderabad (Andhra Pradesh) from Kabar Lake of Begusarai district of north Bihar during 1989-1990. Though collections at our disposal are far too small to give an idea of the exact number of species of reptiles occurring in the Lake yet it is hoped that the present account will add to the little known herpetological knowledge of the area. The lot contains eight examples of reptiles belonging to five species, four genera and three families. The collections are deposited in the Freshwater Biological Station, Zoological Survey of India, Hyderabad.
Location: 241
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 52324
Title: Amphibia
Author: A.K.Sarkar and S.Ray
Editor: Director, Zoological Survey of India
Year: 2002
Publisher: Zoological Surey of India, Kokata, November, 2002
Source: Centre for Ecological Science,Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore-12
Reference: None
Subject: Fauna of Kabar Lake Wetland
Keywords: Bihar, species, anurans, Rana erythraea
Abstract: Not much is known about the amphibian fauna of Bihar as a whole. Boulenger (1890 & 1920), Annandale and Rao (1918) and Parker (1934) have recorded amphibians from different parts of India and adjoining countries but they also mention very little about the amphibians from the state of Bihar. Without mentioning any place of collection in particular. Venkateswarlu and Murthy (1972) have published a list of amphibians occurring in Bihar. Sarkar (in press) has reported amphibians of Chota Nagpur (South Bihar) in detail. From the above accoung it is concluded that altogether 13 species of anurans have so far been recorded from Bihar. The following account is based on a small amphibian collections made from Kabar Lake, Begusarai district of Bihar. Though the collections are too small to give any idea regarding the exact number of species of amphibia occurring in Bihar, we hope, will and some additional information to the amphibian knowledge of the state. The lot contains fourteen examples of anurans belonging to seven species, four genera and four families, of which Rana erythraea is recorded for the first time from Bihar, and which extends the total number of amphibian species so far recorded from the state to fourteen. The collections are deposited with the Freshwater Biological Station, Zoological Survey of India, Hyderabad (Andhra Pradesh).
Location: 241
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 52323
Title: Pisces
Author: Kaza V Ramarao, K.P.Singh and Ramakrishna
Editor: Director, Zoological Survey of India
Year: 2002
Publisher: Zoological Surey of India, Kokata, November, 2002
Source: Centre for Ecological Science,Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore-12
Reference: None
Subject: Fauna of Kabar Lake Wetland
Keywords: Species, fishes, Begusarai District, Bihar
Abstract: During the year 1988 to 1991, the Freshwater Biological Station, Zoological Survey of India, Hyderabad in collaboration with the Gangetic Plain Regional Station, Zoological Survey of India, Patna carried out ten intensive surveys of Kabar lake Wetland Begusarai District, Bihar, with a view to understand the wetland ecosystem and the faunal analysis as a whole for the management action plan of the Ministry of Environment & Forests. This paper deals with the fishes collected from the wetland during the survey by the authors and the other party members. It appears that there was no published work on the fish fauna of Kabar lake wetland, except the work of Srivastava (1980) on the Fishes of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, Shaw and Shebbeare (1937) on the fishes of Northern Bengal and Sharma (1992) on Kabar lake Ecosystem. In addition, the general nature and distribution of fishes in Peninsular India are given by Day (1889), Jayaram (1981), Jerdon (1849), Misra (1959, 1969, 1976), Talwar and Jhingram (1992). A systematic account of the species is dealt in the paper. The data includes, systematics of the species, diagnostic characters, geographical distribution and remarks on the species. The classification is followed after, Srivastava 91980), Jayaram (1981) and Talwar and Jhingram (1992). Altogether 37 species have been dealt. The material is deposited in Freshwater Biological Station, Hyderabad, and Gangetic Plain Regional Station, Zoological Survey of India, Patna, in the National Zoological Collection.
Location: 241
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 52322
Title: Insecta: Hemiptera: Water-Bugs
Author: Animesh Bal and R.C.Basu
Editor: Director, Zoological Survey of India
Year: 2002
Publisher: Zoological Surey of India, Kokata, November, 2002
Source: Centre for Ecological Science,Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore-12
Reference: None
Subject: Fauna of Kabar Lake Wetland
Keywords: Merragata pallescens, species, District of Begusarai, Bihar
Abstract: The Kabar Lake, in the District of Begusarai, Bihar, remained so long unexplored. The Freshwater Biological Station of Zoological Survey of India at Hyderabad, has carried out explorative surveys for consecutive three years from 1989 to 1991 with an object to evaluate and assess the constituent fauna of the lake. In bringing out a consolidated report on this research, the collected samples from the lake were subjected to meticulous examinations by the departmental specialists on different taxonomic disciplines. The present article concerns with the result of our study on the water-bugs collected from the lake, which comprise 14 species under 12 genera belonging to nine families. From the point of rarity and limited distribution, the occurence of one species, namely Merragata pallescens Distant (1909) of the family Hebridae, is very significant. The background history of the species reveals that so far only three specimens were collected and that too pretty long back: two specimens, in the repository of the National Zoological Collection, Calcutta, were collected from Rajsahi and Pubna (now in Bangladesh) in the year 1907 and 1916 respectively and the other specimen, according to Lundblad (1934) in the repository of British Museum, were collected by Distant himself on 8.iv.1910. from a tank in the compound od Indian Museum, Calcutta. Thus, after a long dismaying silence for more than 90 years, we rediscover the species from the Kabar Lake by obtaining three specimens and hence register the locality as a new habitat of this interesting rare species. The diagnostic characters and recorded distribution of the species studied have been given in the text. The keys of different taxa of the concerned groups have suitably been included in the present paper. The identified studied specimens have been sent back to the Freshwater Biological Station, Hyderabad, leaving a few specimens for the National Zoological Collection, Calcutta.
Location: 241
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 52321
Title: Insecta : Coleoptera
Author: S.Biswas
Editor: Director, Zoological Survey of India
Year: 2002
Publisher: Zoological Surey of India, Kokata, November, 2002
Source: Centre for Ecological Science,Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore-12
Reference: None
Subject: Fauna of Kabar Lake Wetland
Keywords: Gyrinidae, Dytiscidae , Hydrophilidae, Kabar lake, Bihar
Abstract: In connection with the study of freshwater animals of India, aquatic coleoptera were collected from Kabar Lake, Bihar. The material consists of 137 examples containing 17 species under 10 genera belonging to 3 families, namely Gyrinidae, Dytiscidae and Hydrophilidae. The distinctive characteristics of each family with habit and habitat, number of species occurring in the world fauna and those found in India and their role in aquatic system have been given very briefly
Location: 241
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 52320
Title: Insecta : Odonata
Author: Ramakrishna
Editor: Director, Zoological Survey of India
Year: 2002
Publisher: Zoological Surey of India, Kokata, November, 2002
Source: Centre for Ecological Science,Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore-12
Reference: None
Subject: Fauna of Kabar Lake Wetland
Keywords: catchment area, lake, larval stages, dragon flies
Abstract: Seasonal changes in the water level that are characteristic feature of wetlands are influenced by rainfall and run-off from the catchment area. Such seasonal changes fuctuate the physico-chemical condiitons of the lake, affecting the distribution, abundance and duration of the emergence of several taxonomic members. Members of Odonata constitute an integral part of the aquatic ecosystem in their larval stages and their distribution is largely governed by the larval adaptation to the physico-chemical characters of the water body and ability to withstand adverse breeding condition is a measure of their distributional potentiality of the species (werger, 1978). Faunistic study of dragon flies based on the larval conditions pose several taxonomic problems (Arthington and Watson. 1982). According to them, occurrence of sexually mature odonata found at the freshwater site is a strong evidence that they breed in the lake. Accordingly, adult odonate members were collected from the area and the taxonomic description of the six species of odonata collected form the Kabar lake wetland ecosystem is given
Location: 241
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 52319
Title: Mollusca
Author: K.V.Surya Rao, S.C.Mitra and Ramakrishna
Editor: Director, Zoological Survey of India
Year: 2002
Publisher: Zoological Surey of India, Kokata, November, 2002
Source: Centre for Ecological Science,Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore-12
Reference: None
Subject: Fauna of Kabar Lake Wetland
Keywords: Wetland ecosystem, freshwater lakes, Begusarai district
Abstract: In order to have an up-to-date knowledge on the faunal resources of Indian wetland ecosystems, an attempt has been made to explore and study the fauna from the freshwater lakes of India. The Kabar lake in Begusarai district of Bihar state is one of the lakes included under present study. The present report is based on the collections made during recent surveys undertaken and also some material received for identification from other sources.
Location: 241
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 52318
Title: Zooplankton
Author: S.Z.Siddiqui and Ramakrishna
Editor: Director, Zoological Survey of India
Year: 2002
Publisher: Zoological Surey of India, Kokata, November, 2002
Source: Centre for Ecological Science,Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore-12
Reference: None
Subject: Fauna of Kabar Lake Wetland
Keywords: eutrophication, protozoa, freshwater sponges, rotifera, cladocera, copepoda, ostracoda
Abstract: The zooplankton community, technically a heterogeneous assemblage of oftern phenotypically close but varied planker groups such as protozoa, freshwater sponges, rotifera, cladocera, copepoda, ostracoda, etc. to quote a few dominant groups, call for specific systematic field collection methodology from different major and minor micro habitats, besides requisite taxonomic expertise, so conspecious by its absence on freshwater wetland fauna from India. Information on the composition and relative abundance of the zooplankton in any aquatic ecosystem is prelude to an understanding of the nature of secondary production and energy flow pattern (Balakrishna Nair et. al 1985). Its role in wetland ecosystem is directly related to fish catch potential, eutrophication and biological structure. Toxonomic treatment of the faunal communities is much more fragmentary because of the vastness of the country, variation in the collective methodology. The Indina scenario on selected zooplankton communities is summarised in the work of Michael (1980), Michael and Sharma (1992), Fernando and Kanduru (1984) and few others.
Location: 241
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 52317
Title: Macrophytic Vegetation
Author: Ramakrishna and S.Z.Siddiqui
Editor: Director, Zoological Survey of India
Year: 2002
Publisher: Zoological Surey of India, Kokata, November, 2002
Source: Centre for Ecological Science,Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore-12
Reference: None
Subject: Fauna of Kabar Lake Wetland
Keywords: Vascular plants, Pteridophyte, meadows
Abstract: The Kabar lake wetland has diverse and extensive growth of macrophytic vegetation with a record of 112 species of vascular plants and a species of Pteridophyte as in the table. The aquatic macrophytic vegetation in the lake falls nearly in the widely established category viz. shallow water submerged species, floating leaf forms, amphibious marsh forms, moist meadow forms and dry meadow forms. The present work is based in the extensive field studies for three years by Ramakrishna, Muley and Siddiqui. Observations on the habit and habitat, association and abundance of macrophytes are recorded and the identification for the same was followed from fresh material with the help of standard literature from Botanical Survey of India and consultation with Prof. Vivekananda Banerjee of Botany Department, Patna University, patna.
Location: 241
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 52316
Title: Diurnal variation and phytoplankton diversity
Author: Ramakrishna and S.Z.Siddiqui
Editor: Director, Zoological Survey of India
Year: 2002
Publisher: Zoological Surey of India, Kokata, November, 2002
Source: Centre for Ecological Science,Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore-12
Reference: None
Subject: Fauna of Kabar Lake Wetland
Keywords: Gangetic belt, Plankton sample, Sedgewick Rafter Cell
Abstract: Studies on diurnal variation of physico-chemicl factors, planktonic abundance and movement are carried out by several workers in tropical impoundments [Ganapati, (1955); George (1961); Michael (1964); Sreenivasan (1969); Khan & Siddiqui (1970); Nasar (1977); Kaul 91977); Vasist & Zutschi (1977); Vijayaraghavan 91977) and others]. The detailed study on the Indian wetlands is still in the infant stage, as wetland studies are of recent origin. It was therefore, felt to study the diurnal rhythm of phytoplankton and physico-chemical factors of Kabar lake, a wetland in the Gangetic belt of North Bihar. In order to assess the diurnal variation during different periods of the year, six attempts have been made by the authors covering different seasons. During the study, collection of water and plankton samples were made from surface, 1 meter (below the surface water ) and bottom (since the depth is not more than 2.0-2.5 m), at four hour intervals for nearly 30 hours from the deepest part of the wetland. Plankton samples are preserved in 3% formaldehyde with 5 drops of Lugol ' s Iodine, analysis with aid of Sedgewick Rafter Cell, under Sterio binocular microscope. Results are expressed in units/litre.
Location: 241
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 52315
Title: Nutrients
Author: S.Z.Siddiqui and Ramakrishna
Editor: Director, Zoological Survey of India
Year: 2002
Publisher: Zoological Surey of India, Kokata, November, 2002
Source: Centre for Ecological Science,Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore-12
Reference: None
Subject: Fauna of Kabar Lake Wetland
Keywords: Biotic filters, sediment traps, decomposition, nutrients
Abstract: Ecologically speaking wetlands have also been known to function as "Biotic filters" and "Sediment traps" (Lee et al 1975) trapping nutrients by serving as natural biological filters for run-off waters from the surrounding system. Nevertheless, our understanding of the nutrient dynamics in wetlands is still limited mainly for lack of appropriate scientific approaches and anlaysis. The crucial role of many inputs (hydrological, climatic and biotic) and processes of decomposition have not been thoroughly investigated. Further, each wetland ecosystem is unique in its own right, each wetland has to be investigated in its totality as an ecosystem and subsystem. Any meaningful approach to understand the nutrient dynamics has to take into account nutrient loading, cyclic movements and other critical factors. Reports on nutrients and their dynamics, in freshwater wetlands in tropical country, especially in India is often fragmentary and suffer from serious paucity fo comprehensive, exhaustive studies. A humble attempt has been made to study the nutrient profile of Kabar lake.
Location: 241
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 52314
Title: Limnology
Author: Ramakrishna, E.V.Muley, S.Z.Siddiqui and A.K.Pandey
Editor: Director, Zoological Survey of India
Year: 2002
Publisher: Zoological Surey of India, Kokata, November, 2002
Source: Centre for Ecological Science,Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore-12
Reference: None
Subject: Fauna of Kabar Lake Wetland
Keywords: Geomorphology, chaurs, ox-bow lakes, Burhi Gandak river, oligotropic
Abstract: Geomorphologically, Kabar lake as also the chain of adjoining chaurs (smaller dipressions temporarily holding water) may be classified as ox-bow lakes, origination from meandering Burhi Gandak river. The river meandered further along its downward course, leaving behind a series of ox-bow lakes that are now mainly rainfed. Detailed limnology of the ox-bow lake has not been studied todate and what follows is the first ever limnological account of the lake, on the basis of first hand studies in the region during different climatic seasons. In general, the lake water is alkaline, rich in carbonates and relatively infertile i.e., oligotropic or nutrient poor chemically. A brief factor wise limnological profile of the lake is given.
Location: 241
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 52313
Title: Kabar Lake wetland-An overview
Author: J.R.B.Alfred and Ramakrishna
Editor: Director, Zoological Survey of India
Year: 2002
Publisher: Zoological Surey of India, Kokata, November, 2002
Source: Centre for Ecological Science,Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore-12
Reference: None
Subject: Fauna of Kabar Lake Wetland
Keywords: Wetlands, genetic diversity, genepool
Abstract: It is only in the last few decades that the role and value of the wetlands are recognised as they support a wide range of functions that are essential for plant, animal and human life and also for maintaining the quality of the environment. Genetic diversity, rich resource of fauna and flora, constitute an important genepool for potential exploitation and management. In ecologica sense, wetland "value" is mainly related to primary production in providing food energy that drives the ecosystem (Mitsch, 1986). The direct and indirect benefit of wetland are high productivity; reservoirs for storing water, controls flood; prevent soil erosion; water purification and nutrient recyling; aquifer recharge; aesthetic, cultural and recreational value and high biological diversity especially waterfowl habitat.
Location: 241
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None