STUDIES ON THE WATER QUALITY OF KUTTANAD WETLAND ECOSYSTEM OF KERALASABU THOMAS, K.HARIKRISHNAN, SANIL GEORGE, R. PAULMURUGAN AND M.R.DASAbstract Kuttanad, the rice bowl of Kerala, comprising marine estuarine and fluvial systems, is a highly complex ecosystem in India. The present study, as a part of the ecosystem risk assessment, reports the water quality of Kuttanad wetland ecosystem. A significant monthly variation of in situ measurements (water temperature, pH, conductivity), inorganic constituents (hardness, salinity, chloride, sulphate, calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium), dissolved gases and organic constituents (dissolved oxygen, hydrogen sulphide, BOD, COD), nutrients (nitrate, silicate) and detergents were observed. No monthly variation of phosphate was observed. Detergents and hydrogen sulphide are the major pollutants in this system. However, the most striking aspect derived from the present study was the reduction of salinity as a result of a salt water barrage constructed across the system which adversely affected the survival of economically important species and favours the growth of pests in the system.
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