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Biodiversity Assessment of Balapur Pond of District Prayagraj (U.P.) with Special Reference to Vertebrates and Angiosperms

Ashok Kumar Verma1*

Corresponding author Email:akv.gdcz@gmail.com

DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.12944/CWE.15.2.24

The present study was undertaken to record the diversity of Balapur pond of the Prayagraj district of Uttar Pradesh with special reference to vertebrates and angiosperms. The Balapur pond was surveyed in detail once in a month for a period of one year from January 2018 to December 2018. The survey reflects a rich and flourishing biodiversity of the pond studied including 40 chordate species and 38 species of angiosperms. The notable chordate diversity includes 12 species of fishes, 2 species of amphibians, 7 species of reptiles, 11 species of birds and 8 species of mammals. Besides, several species of annelids, crabs, butterflies, moths, grasshoppers, ants, termites, lobsters, snails, other gastropods, planktons, algae, bryophytes and pteridophytes have also been observed.

被子植物;两栖动物;鸟类;Balapur池塘;缺点ervation; Fishes; Mammals; Reptiles; Wetland

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Verma A. K, Biodiversity Assessment of Balapur Pond of District Prayagraj (U.P.) with special reference to Vertebrates and Angiosperms. Curr World Environ 2020; 15(2). DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.12944/CWE.15.2.24

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Verma A. K, Biodiversity Assessment of Balapur Pond of District Prayagraj (U.P.) with special reference to Vertebrates and Angiosperms. Curr World Environ 2020; 15(2). Available from:https://bit.ly/31N2mbm


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Article Publishing History

Received: 06-04-2020
Accepted: 09-08-2020
Reviewed by: OrcidOrcidKannan CS Warrier
Second Review by: OrcidOrcidEdgar Lehr
Final Approval by: Dr Gopal Krishan

Introduction

A vertebrate has notochord during its embryonic development which is replaced by a cartilaginous or bony vertebral column or backbone in adults. The subphylum Vertebrata comprises seven classes of living animalsnamelyCyclostomata, Chondrichthyes, Osteichthyes, Amphibia, Reptilia, Aves and Mammalia. First four are popularly known as Anamniota and last three as Amniota (Verma and Praksh, 2020a). The angiosperms are well developed and highly evolved group of plants in which there is seeds enclosed within the fruit. They have well differentiated root, stem and leaves and also have well developed vascular tissue.

India is a developing and agriculture dominating country. Most of its population depends upon agriculture. In India, a large number of ponds, lakes and reservoirs occur naturally but most of them are not being utilized properly due to their improper and insufficient hydrobiological studies. A proper and systematic hydrobiological study is very important to understand the metabolic activities in the aquatic ecosystem especially pond.The pond contains standing water that provides habitat for wetland biotai.e.plants and animals.

Wetlands constitute one of the most productive ecosystems and play a significant role in the regional ecological sustainability. They have been an essential part of human civilization meeting many crucial needs for life such as drinking water, food, fodder, energy supply, flood storage, transport, recreation, biodiversity, and climate stabilization. The cross cultural, economic and ecological values of wetlands provide a fine blend of past, present and future of human descend, existence, and future perspectives of sustainability.

Prakashet al.(2015), Prakash and Verma (2015, 2016), Verma and Prakash (2016) performed the limnological and ichthyological studies of Alwara Lake of Kaushambi (U.P.). Verma (2016, 2017, 2019a, 2019b, 2020a), Verma and Prakash (2017, 2020b), Sugumaranet al.(2020) and Bhagdeet al.(2020)studied the limnological parameters as well as distribution and conservation status of fishes in the various lentic fresh water bodies of Uttar Pradesh. The present exploration was undertaken to assess the biodiversity of Balapur pond of the Prayagraj district of Uttar Pradesh with special reference tovertebrates and angiosperms. This study was conducted during a period of one year from January 2018 to December 2018. The pond studied has rich and flourished biodiversity.

Materials and Methods

池塘是自然和多年生植物,研究on south side of the village Balapur. It is located in Koraon block and tahsil of Prayagraj district of Uttar Pradesh (image 1).The pond studied is situated at a distance of approximately 62 kilometers fromPrayagrajdistrict HQ .Balapur is a small village of about 800 population size, surrounded by Janakpur in east, Paitiha in south west, Banshipur in north east and Murlipur in south.Generally summer begins in the month of March and continues till mid July. In and around this Balapur village, monsoon begins mostly in last July and more or less continues till mid September. Winter season normally starts in mid November and continues till mid February. Minimum temperature was recorded as 14.2 in January and maximum in July as 35.50C.This pond (photo 1) is extended in more than two hectares, not only used for irrigation, fish culture but also used as a source of drinking water for animals.
Image 1: Location of study area in Prayagraj district.

Image 1: Location of study area in Prayagraj district.

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Balapur pond was surveyed and studied in detail to record the vertebrates and angiosperms diversity once for a month along the period of one year from January 2018 to December 2018. The fishes and amphibians were caught and collected for the present survey by hand-nets, gill nets, cast nets, hooks, drag nets with the help of local people and animal catchers. The survey was conducted during daytime from 7 am to 7 pm and all caught animals were released in to the pond after identification. Author did not need to collect the reptiles, birds and mammals as they were easily recognisable even from a long distance.
People of local communities of adjoining areas also helped the author in several ways including hospitality; collection and identification of vertebrates and angiosperms.

A standard survey method of Burbridge (1994) was followed for field work. Fishes were identified by using the standard keys of Mishra (1959), Day (1989), Jhingran (1991), Jayaram (1999) and Srivastava (1998).

Photograph 1: A view of Balapur pond in Prayagraj district

Photograph 1: A view of Balapur pond in Prayagraj district

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Dutta (1997) and Dineshet al.(2019) helped to identify amphibians while reptiles with the help of Aengalset al.(2012). Birds were identified with the help of Ali (1988) while angiosperms were identified with the help of Sambamurty (2010).

Results and Discussion

The author recorded (a) 40 species of vertebrates: 12 species of fishes (Verma 2019b), 2 species of amphibians, 7 species of reptiles, 11 species of birds, 8 species of mammals and (b) 38 species of angiosperms from Balapur pond (table 1).

Table1. List of vertebratesand angiosperms recorded fromBalapur pond in the year 2018.

FISHES

S.No.

Biological name

Common name

Family

Catla catla

Bhakur

Cyprinidae

Labeo rohita

Rohita

Cyprinidae

Labeo calbasu

Karaunchh

Cyprinidae

Cyprinus carpio

Common carp

Cyprinidae

Cirrhinus mrigala

Naini

Cyprinidae

Mystus seenghala

Tengara

Bagridae

Rita rita

Rita

Bagridae

Wallago attu

Pardni

Siluridae

Clarias batrachus

Mangur

Clariidae

Heteropneustes fossilis

Singhi

Saccobranchidae

Channa punctatus

Saura

Ophiocephalidae

  1. .

Gudusia chapra

Suhia

Clupeidae

AMPHIBIANS

Hoplobatrachustigerinus

Indian bullfrog

Dicroglossidae

Duttaphrynus melanostictus

Common Indian toad

Bufonidae

REPTILES

Calotes versicolor

Garden lizard

Agamidae

Uromastix hardwickii

Spiny tailed lizard

Agamidae

Hemidactylus flaviviridis

House gecko

Gekkonide

Naja naja

Indian Cobra

Elapidae

Bungaruscaeruleus

Krait

Elapidae

Eryx johnii

Red Sand Boa

Boidae

Varanusbengalensis

Indian Monitor lizard

Varanidae

BIRDS

Pavo cristatus

Peacock

Phasianidae

Eudynamis scolopaceus

Koel

Cuculidae

Acriodotheres tristis

Common myna

Sturnidae

Passer domesticus

House Sparrow

Passeridae

Corvus splendens

House Crow

Corvidae

Pycnonotus cafer

Red-vented Bulbul

Pycnonidae

Psittacula eupatria

Parrot

Psittaculidae

Columba livia

Common Rock Pigeon

Columbidae

Bubo bubo

Owl

Strigidae

Gyps indicus

Indian Vulture

Accipitridae

Egretta garzetta

Indian Egret

Ardeidae

MAMMALS

Oryctolagus cuniculus

Rabbit

Leporidae

Sorex araneus

Shrew

Soricidae

老鼠tus rattus

老鼠

Muridae

Mus musculus

House mouse

‎ Muridae

Funambuluspalmarum

Squirrel

Sciuridae

Sus scrofa

Pig

Suidae

Boselaphus tragocamelus

Nilgai

Bovidae

Lutrogaleperspicillata

Smooth-coated Otter

Mustelidae

ANGIOSPERMS

Eichhornia crassipes

Common water hyacinth

Pontederiaceae

Monochoria vaginalis

Pickerel weed

Pontederiaceae

Hygroryza aristata

Asian water grass

Poaceae

Vetiveria zizanioides

Vetiver

Poaceae

Apluda mutica

Mauritian grass

Poaceae

Pistia stratiotes

Water cabbage

Araceae

Spirodela polyrhiza

Common duckweed

Araceae

Wolffia arrhiza

Rootless duckweed

Araceae

Lemna perpusilla

Minute duckweed

Araceae

Ludwigia adscendens

Water primrose

Onagraceae

Nelumbo nucifera

Indian lotus

Nelumbonaceae

Nymphea stillata

Water lily

Nympheaceae

Hydrilla verticillata

Water thyme

Hydrocharitaceae

Najas graminea

Ricefield water-nymph

Najadaceae

Potamogeton crassipes

Clasping leaf pondweed

Potamogetonaceae

Vallisnaria spiralis

Eel grass or tape grass

Hydrocharitaceae

Ceratophyllum demersum

Hornwort or coontail

Ceratophyllaceae

Alternanthera sessilis

Sessile joy weed

Amaranthaceae

Glinus lotoides

Lotus sweetjuice

Molluginaceae

Boerhavia diffusa

Red spiderling

Nyctaginaceae

Canscora decurrens

Bhui neem or kilwar

Gentianaceae

Centella asiatica

Indian pennywort

Apiaceae

Eleocharis dulcis

Chinese water chestnut

Cyperaceae

Cyperusspp.

Nutgrass

Cyperaceae

Fimbristylis littoralis

Lesser fimbristylis

Cyperaceae

Ipomoea aquatica

Swamp Morning Glory

Convolvulaceae

Evolvulus assenoides

Slender dwarf morning glory

Convolvulaceae

Peristrophe bicalyculata

Kali Anghedi

Acanthaceae

Hygrophila auriculata

Kokilaksha

Acanthaceae

Juncus bufonius

Toad rush

Juncaceae

Limnophila indica

Indian Marshweed

Plantaginaceae

Nymphoides cristata

Water snowflake

Menyanthaceae

Heliotropiumspp.

Indian heliotrope

Boraginaceae

Polygonumspp.

Drooping knotweed

Polygonaceae

Sonchus arvensis

Perennial sowthistle

Asteraceae

Tephrosia pumila

Indigo sauvage

Fabaceae

Trianthema portulacastrum

Horse Purslane

Aizoaceae

Typha angustifolia

Lesser bulrush

Typhaceae


所有记录的12种鱼类可以食用的。People of the Balapur and adjoining areas hunt some birds and rabbit for flesh. Indian cobra and krait are poisonous reptiles. Most of the species of birds and few species of mammals are hunted for food. On the basis of rate of decline, population size, area of geographic distribution and degree of population, distribution fragmentation etc., most of the above species has already been evaluated by IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature)红色名录。大多数的物种在expl记录oration belong to least concern (LC) to critically endangered (CR) categories (Verma, 2020b, 2020c). Out of the 38 species of angiosperms recorded; 22 species are rooted amphibians, 7 free floating, 4 rooted floated, 4 rooted submerged and 1 suspended hydrophytes. Besides, pteridophytes, bryophytes, algae, several species of annelids, crabs, butterflies, moths, grasshoppers, ants, termites, lobsters, snails, other gastropods and a number of diatoms and planktons have also been observed in and around the pond.

Conclusion

The author thus, recorded a total of 40 species of chordates including 12 species of fishes, 2 species of amphibians, 7 species of reptiles, 11 species of birds, 8 species of mammals and 38 species of angiosperms in and around the Balapur pond. Moreover, a number of species of annelids, crabs, butterflies, moths, grasshoppers, ants, termites, lobsters, snails, other gastropods and pteridophytes, bryophytes, algae, planktons, diatoms have also been observed. Considering the importance of rich biodiversity and highly productive ecosystem, the author suggests and strongly recommends for a complete study of the said pond both for diversity of plants and animals on large scale so as to offer a natural abode to the animals, a beautiful habitat to the plants and ecological gift to the environment.

Acknowledgement

Author is highly grateful to the Prof. Ashish Joshi, Principal, Government P.G. College, Saidabad- Prayagraj for providing necessary laboratory facilities. Author is thankful to friends Dr Shri Prakash eminent Zoologist, Dr H.P. Pandey eminent Botanist, Dr A. N. Shukla Scientist, Botanical Survey of India and youngster Mr Prabhakar Singh, local people and Gram Pradhan for their co-operation during entire study.

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