Agricultural Research Management Information System

Home
Research Summary
Search
About Us
- ARMIS
- Brochure
Contact Us
Report
User Request
Data Input
Help
- Operation Manual
  - PDF
  - Video
- Program Area & Commodity
We have reached 37600 number of research entries at this moment.

- Logout

Research Detail

Home
Research
Detail

Monthly Variations of Benthic Community in Relation to Hydrological Parameters in the Ponds of Bangladesh Agricultural University, Bangladesh

Rashidul Hassan
Department of Aquaculture, Faculty of Fisheries, Bangladesh Agriculture University, Bangladesh

Md. Ruhul Amin
Department of Aquaculture, Faculty of Fisheries, Bangladesh Agriculture University, Bangladesh

SM Rahmatullah
Department of Aquaculture, Faculty of Fisheries, Bangladesh Agriculture University, Bangladesh

SM Oasiqul Azad
Department of Fisheries Technology, Faculty of Fisheries, Patuakhali Science and Technology University, Bangladesh

Shihab Sharar Mukit
Department of Fisheries Technology, Faculty of Fisheries, Patuakhali Science and Technology University, Bangladesh

Shatabdi Roy
Department of Fisheries Technology, Faculty of Fisheries, Patuakhali Science and Technology University, Bangladesh

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

A study on the monthly abundance of benthic fauna in accordance with different depths related to physico-chemical characteristics of water was conducted in the Bangladesh Agricultural University Fish Farm Pond, Mymensingh, during the period from July to December, 2007. During the study period monthly sampling of benthic fauna were collected from three depth ranges 100-170 cm, 170-230 cm and 230-290 cm from three stations (east, middle and west) in the pond and the samples were analyzed. Monthly changes in physico-chemical characteristics were observed in the ponds which were divided into three treatments (1 meter, 2 meters and maximum depth) from three stations. Twelve genera such as Branchiura, Ophidonais, Dero, Choaborus, Aelosoma, Peloscolex, Chironomus, Pelopia, Vviparous, Pila, Planorbis and Lymnaea under three groups such as Oligochaeta, Chironomidae and Mollusca were encountered during the study period. The successive position of five genera such as Branchiura, Ophidonais, Chironomus, pelopia and Dero were found the most dominant genera. Benthos was most dominant in treatment II followed treatment I and III. The benthic fauna was mostly made up of Oligochaetes, Chironimids and Mollusks constituting the most dominant groups. The maximum number of organisms (Number/m²) was collected in July followed by October, November, August, September and December in the pond. The fluctuations of benthic fauna were found to be more or less related to pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen and as well as depth of the water body. Stations, where raw cow-dung was used as fertilizer, resulted in dead gastropods.

Keywords: Benthic fauna, Water quality parameters, Fish farm

Location: Bangladesh Agricultural University Fish Farm Pond, Mymensingh

Start Date: 00-07-2007

End Date: 00-12-2007

Program Area: Conservation and Biodiversity

Commodity: Mollusks, Pond

Objectives:

Few attempts have been made to study the benthic ecology by Mollah and Haque (1978), Ali and Begum (1978) and Habib, (1981) in the fish ponds in and around the Bangladesh Agricultural University campus. But these are lacking in focusing any contribution of benthos to the diet of cultured fishes. The present work was, therefore, undertaken to study the monthly abundance of various benthic organisms and relate to water characteristics with a view to find out the relationship between them in the Bangladesh Agricultural University Fish Farm pond, Mymensingh.

Methodology:

Descriptions of pond Study area The study was conducted in a Fish Farm pond in Bangladesh Agricultural University campus, located three miles south of Mymensing town on the western side of the river old Brahmaputra and situated between latitude 250 25’ and 250 25’ and longitude 890 38’ and 910 15’ for a period of six months from July to December 2007. The average elevation of the area is 11.59 meter above sea level (Habib, 1981). The experiment was conducted at 6 selected ponds of fisheries faculty which were L-shaped, covering an area of 6.0 acres approximately and was more or less surrounded by other small ponds. The basin was gradual, having partly unbroken embankment and mostly sandy and clayish bottom. The depth of water at the sampling stations was found to range from 100-270 cm. The water was semi-bluish in color and almost free from any vegetation except very few in the shallow shore area (only some Eichhornia sp; Leersia hexandra; Polygonum sp etc. were found).

Location of the sampling stations Collection of the samples was made from three locations of a pond. Each location there was three treatments namely T-I at 1 meter depth and T-II in 2 meter depth and T-III in maximum depth (2.9 m) in the pond. Sampling procedure Water quality parameters Water quality monitoring Water quality measurements and sample collection were made between 9.00 and 10.00 am on each sampling day. Transparency (cm), water temperature (0 c), pH and dissolved oxygen (mg/L) were measured by standard Secchi disc of 20 cm diameter, centigrade thermometer, pH meter (Jenway model 3020, USA) and dissolved oxygen meter (YST MODEWL 58, USA) respectively during each sampling day at the pond site. Collection of benthic fauna Benthic samples were collected from nine locations of three stations with the help of Ekman-dredger covering an area of 225 cm². Contents of the dredge, along with any materials caught, were transferred to a bucket and taken to the shore for washing. Each sample was then washed through a series of standard brass sieves of mesh size 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 mm. The benthic residue under the contrasting background of black and white was observed for benthos and any benthos found were collected by means of fine forceps and kept into separate vials containing 10% formalin for preservation (Wetzel and Lickens, 1979) [17]. These vials were marked properly with a marker pen and taken to the laboratory for analysis. In the same way benthos were collected from different locations in a sampling.

Separation of benthic fauna The samples were kept for 48 hours in the laboratory to allow the animals for hardening (Maitland, 1979). The preserved animals were then transferred to a petridish and washed with tap water to remove the remaining washable detritus and mud. Then the benthic fauna were cleared by means of distilled water and then separated organisms from each other with the help of sorting needles and fine forceps, which were again sorted into major taxonomic groups by means of hand lens and low-power-microscope (magnification:10×10) wherever necessary. Then the organisms were counted according to different taxonomic groups and preserved group-wise in 10% formalin into vials and labeled properly for further study. Identification and counting of benthic fauna The preserved specimens were identified under a dissecting microscope. The preserved specimens were taken out from preservatives (10% formalin) and kept on tissue paper for drying. Then the worms and larvae were placed on a clean slide with a few drops of polyvinyl lactophenol and covered with a coverslip. Care was taken to avoid air bubbles before placing the coverslip. Then the slides were kept in disturbed in the laboratory for 24 hours for making the specimens transparent for proper identification. A binocular microscope (NOVA ES-950 U.S.A.) was used to identify the specimens. Then the benthic organisms were identified and counted according to different taxonomic groups and genera. Identification was done according to Chu (1949), Pennak (1953), Usinger (1963), Needham (1966) and Brinkhurst (1974). The number of benthos in respect of genera or total abundance was expressed as follows: Number of benthos/m² = Number found in one sample x 44.44.

Source of Information: International Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Studies 2016; 4(5): 386-392

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

Variations in the abundance of benthic organisms were found correlated with water parameters (transparency, temperature, pH and DO) and organic debris content. The production of benthic organisms were found to increase with lesser water depth (100~170), higher temperature, higher pH and higher organic debris. The higher production of benthic fauna as live fish food will accelerate the growth of bottom feeder fishes which result higher fish production. This knowledge therefore might be helpful for fish farmers and aquaculturists to increase fish production of Bangladesh.

Knowledge Management: Journal