Title: The influence of physico-chemical parameters on habitat ecology and assemblage structure of phytoplankton in Tehri reservoir (Uttarakhand), India

Abstract

The present study deals with the influence of physico-chemical parameters on habitat ecology and assemblage structure of freshwater phytoplankton in Tehri reservoir Garhwal (Uttarakhand) India. Habitat ecological variables play a major role in determining the diversity, abundance and occurrence of phytoplankton in reservoir. Physicochemical variables and phytoplankton genera were analysed on a seasonal basis for the period of one year from April 2018 to March 2019. Some important physiochemical parameters like pH, water temperature, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solid, turbidity, transparency, total alkalinity, dissolved oxygen, biochemical oxygen demand, chloride, phosphate, and sulphate were analysed. Overall 32 phytoplankton genera belonging to 3 classes were identified. Bacillariophyceae was dominant class followed by Chlorophyceae and Cyanophyceae at selected sampling zones. The maximum reading recorded by the Phytoplankton was 3771 individuals/L during winter at zone C, whereas minimum number 1327 individuals/L were recorded during the season of monsoon at zone A. The canonical correspondence analysis was used to find out the relationship among phytoplankton class and habitat ecological parameters and showed positive and negative correlations with each other.