PHYSICO-CHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS, BIODIVERSITY ASSESSMENT AND ECONOMIC VALUATION OF KALYANTHAKUR PARA LAKE: A COMMUNITY BASED LAKE OF TRIPURA, NORTHEAST INDIA

• Main Authors: Moitree TARAN, Sourabh DEB, Jaya ROY
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Romanian Limnogeographical Association 2016-12-01
• Series: Lakes Reservoirs and Ponds
• Subjects: Aquatic plants; Community; Ecosystem services; Planktons; Important Value Index; Wetland
• Online Access: http://www.limnology.ro/Lakes/2016/201610202.pdf
• ISSN: 1844-6477; 2284-5305

Wetland resources are having significant role in the livelihoods of ethnic communities and their involvement in resource management can be used to maintain ecological banance in wetland ecosystem. The objective of this study is to provide some ideas about participation of “Tripuri” community and their role in wetland conservation and management. Physicochemical water parameters of the lake shows suitability of this lake water for fisheries and also its a good storage for carbon. Overall, six genera belonging to four classes of phytoplankton and total four groups of zooplankton have been identified from the lake. Total thirteen aquatic plants belongs to twelve families were identified from Kalyanthakur para lake and most of the plants are used for food, fodder and fencing. The dominant aquatic species were Enhydra fluctuans DC., Sacciolepis sp. and Nymphoides indica (L.) Kuntze. with the Importance Value Index (IVI) 73.53, 61.58 and 50.00 respectively. The lake also provides various provisioning and cultural services. The provisioning services of the Kalyanthakur para lake includes mainly fishes, aquatic plants, crabs, molluscs, domestic uses, collection of timber and fuelwood with a total value of US$ 26263.65/year. Whereas, the cultural services of Kalyanthakur para lake, includes recreational opportunities, aesthetic value and place with natural beauty with a total value of US$ 2605.68/year. Human settlements, negligence of the concerned authority and public effluent are worked as the chief factors for the degradation of this lake. Government should take some planning, managing and monitoring plan to mitigate the anthropogenic stress on this community based lake.