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Detailed Ecological Assessment Report 2008 – Keenjhar Lake Directory of Asian wetlands by Derek A. Scott (1989) is a remarkable achievement as it gives a series of national reports covering all countries from Pakistan in the west, China, the Koreas, Japan, The Philippines, Indonesia, and Papua New Guinea in the east. The Pakistan section of the directory, 52 wetland sites have been described. These have been selected on the basis of criteria developed through the Ramsar Convention. Although it lacks information about the wetlands of the Nara Desert Wetland Complex, Deh Akro Wetland Complex, Rann of Kutch, sites in Baluchistan such as Ormara, Jiwani, Hingol Hor, Ras Malan etc. but it is still a sole reference book on the wetlands of Pakistan. Roberts et al (1986) have given a checklist of Birds of Karachi and Lower Sindh. Tom Robert’s two volumes of Birds of Pakistan comprise of the first complete account of the avifauna of the country. The first volume contains detailed descriptions of 347 non-passeriformes and the second volume deals with 313 species of passerines. Later, Ghalib et al (1999) listed the Birds of Chotiari Wetland Complex based on their study during 1997. They gave the preferred habitats of the various species, threats to avifauna and proposals for management of the site. Ghalib and Bhaagat (2004) dealt with the wetlands of Indus Ecoregion. They gave the list of important wetlands along with the species of avifauna recorded. Hasan et al (2005) have listed the fish and birds of Keti Bunder, Shah Bunder and other parts of the Indus delta. They have recorded 51 species of birds. Khan and Ghalib (2006) have given the bird population and threats to some selected important wetlands in Pakistan. 1.3.5 Freshwater Fisheries Many diverse studies have been conducted on many aspects of fish and fisheries of the coastal areas of Pakistan. The major bulk of literature is on the biodiversity of various parts of the coastal areas. The significant work in this regards is that of Ahmed et al. (1976), Ali and Jafri (1986), Iqbal et al. (1999), Jafri et al. (1999), Jafri et al. (2000), Jalil and Kamaluddin (1981), Kazmi and Kazmi (1979), Leghari et al. (1999), Mirza (1986), Niazi (1976), Parashad and Mukerjee (1930), Qureshi (1965), Siddiqui et al. (1973), Sufi (1957, 1962). Some work on the commercial fishes has been conducted by Ahmed and Niazi (1988), Bianchi (1985) and Khan (1999). The limnological aspects of various water bodies have been covered by Baig and Khan (1976), Baqai et al. (1974 a, b), Dewani et al. (2002), Mahar et al. (2000) and Nazneen (1995). The water pollution in the coastal area has been documented by Amjad et al., (1998), Monawar et al. (1999) while aquaculture aspect is badly lacking and the only work documented is that of Yaqoob (1994). 1.3.6 Phytoplankton Phytoplankton community structure in lakes appear to be well studied (Smith, 1990). Unfortunately in Pakistan except the work on Nazneen (1974) and Bri and Nazneen (1979), most of the research works concern with phytoplankton algae of temporary and permanent ponds. More over these studies are devoted only to the one species richness and many do not cover the entire seasonal variability. Many studies on phytoplankton of water bodies of this region appear not to be well WWF Pakistan – Indus for All Programme Page 18 of 165
Detailed Ecological Assessment Report 2008 – Keenjhar Lake documented from an ecological point of view. The knowledge of temperate lakes and their phytoplankton is much greater that that of tropical and sub-tropical lakes. Tropical lakes appear to have different plankton community structure from temperate lakes and are mostly populated by submerged and emergent macrophytes. Nitrogen was reported as the main limiting factor for production in tropical waters (Payne, 1986). But the shallow lakes of Salado River Basin are rich in both nitrates and phosphates (Quiros, 1989) and limitation by nutrient is not evident contrary to most tropical aquatic eco-systems where nutrients are rapidly mineralized (Fisher, 1978; Junk & Furch, 1991); sediments of these lakes store high amount of organic matter, mainly derived from macrophytes. Macrophytes appeared as the main factor influencing structure and abundance of phytoplankton (Izaguirre & Vincour, 1994)/. Lakes with a greater biomass of higher plants showed lower phytoplankton densities. The influence of macrophyhtes on phytoplankton communities has been discussed by several authors and attributed to different factors, shading allelopathy and competition for nutrients (Welch and Cooke, 1987: Engel, 1998 and Mitchell, 1989) In temperate region the blue green algae often dominates summer phytoplankton of both shallow and deep lakes (Sommer et al, 1986). In other Danish lakes poor light conditions and continuous circulation lead to the dominance of blue green algae (Chorus & Shlag, 1993). Nutrient limitation did not fulfill any obvious role, the annual pattern of phytoplankton dynamics appeared to have been dominated by hydrological and climatological features (Barone & Flores, 1984). More over the coupling of hydrological and algal seasonability is well seen in other man made lakes (Talling, 1986) and the hydrodynamic control of phytoplankton growth has been discussed by Harris (1986) In tropical and sub-tropical lakes, seasonal cycle of phytoplankton seems to be strongly related to the water level fluctuations and the climatological features and it seems reasonable to agree with the results of Harris (1986) & Barone & Flores (1994), that abiotic factors such as flooding, dewatering, light, and mixing mainly affect the phytoplankton dynamics and also by inhabiting or delaying the development if biotic relationships (i.e. fry predation efficiency) which commonly takes place in aquatic environment. The construction of dams creates large bodies of standing waters which may be the subject to chemical and biological changes symptomatic of eutrophication. Among the most dramatic consequences of eutrophication results in the formation of water blooms of blue green algae (Goldman & Horne, 1983). Blue green algae can release allelopathic substances which are toxic to humans (Lawton & Codd, 1991) and to other organisms (Feuillade, 1992). The occurrence of blue green algae’s in Indian lakes and reservoirs has been well studies by Gopal et al., (1998) and Houk, (1989). Baker Lake is a shallow, eutrophic lake that also serves as a reservoir. The knowledge gained through this piece of work will provide a clear picture of the phytoplankton composition of the lake. Changes in water levels played an important role in the structure of phytoplankton communities. The distinct increase of secchi disc depth in lake is the main factor responsible for change in cynaphyta compositions. The improved light condition at bottom made it possible for Gloeotrchia and Amphanizomenon to establish lake population in the sediment. The migration of Amphanizomenon and Gloeotrichia transfers particularly phosphorus and nitrogen from sediment to the lake (Osgood 1988 and Barbieror & Welch, 1992). Istvanovics et al., (1993) and Pettersson et al., (1993) clearly confirm the phenomena. WWF Pakistan – Indus for All Programme Page 19 of 165
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