Socio-Economic opportunity from aquatic bodies of shallow water in catchment area of Bhopal’s upper lake

Abstract

The quality of water is constantly affected by natural degradation, eutrophication and anthropogenic. Aquatic plants are sensitive to any type of nutritional changes especially phosphorus, nitrogen and organic pollutants. At the same time they are ecologically beneficial since they promote diversity as well as function of aquatic ecosystem Since, aquatic plants and macrophytes are being used as food, fodder, medicines, fertilizers, etc., their socio-economic importance should not be underestimated. Since Bhopal’s Upper lake is also a rich source of planktons and aquatic plants, thus with socio-economic point of view, the present study was intended to assess the opportunity from shallow water in catchment area of Bhopal’s upper Lake other than fisheries. Boat club, Koh-e-Fiza, Karbala and Bairagarh region were the sites of observation during January 2014 to December 2015 and designated as S-1, S-2, S-3 and S-4 respectively. Pistia stratiote, Ceratophyllum demersum, Eleodea Canadensis, Azolla spp. and Duck weed were observed in visibly bulkier form in different sites in the catchment areas. Countered zone formation, culture and harvesting can be suggested in a systematic way on commercial basis in the areas of natural growth of these macrophytes in the shallow water margins of catchment areas of Bhopal’s upper lake can be beneficial to small communities especially women who rely on local fisheries and aquaculture based livelihood.