An investigation of the physico-chemical parameters and zooplankton abundance in Bagmati River near Pashupatinath Temple, Kathmandu, Nepal

Abstract

Physico-chemical parameters and abundance of zooplankton in Bagmati River Near Pashupatinath Temple, Kathmandu, Nepal were studied. In the present investigated 5 groups of zooplankton were namely copepod, rotifer, cladocera, ostracoda and crustacean larvae. It was demonstrated that their prevalence percentages (%) in the culture systems were 53%, 37%, 7%, 1.3% and 1.7% respectively. Zooplankton was dominated by copepods which showed more or less two peaks in August (949 individuals/L) and in October (867 individuals/L). Rotifer and copepod were about perennial while one genus Cypris of ostracod was found only in August. Three genera of copepod namely Diaptomus, Cyclops and Mesocyclops were identified in the study area of which Diaptomus and Mesocyclops were more or less dominant while four genus of which Brachionus and Filinia under rotifer and Daphnia and Diaphanosoma under cladocera were also found during the study period. The physico-chemical parameters and the zooplankton abundance showed some interrelationships which are helpful to understand the seasonal and spatial variation of zooplankton population.