Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

HABITAT SPECIFIC CHANGES IN THE RATE OF OXYGEN CONSUMPTION, AMMONIA EXCRETION AND O: N RATIO OF FRESH WATER BIVALVES, LAMELLIDENS MARGINALIS, FROM LOTIC AND LENTIC ENVIRONMENT OF JAYAKWADI AT PAITHAN, AURANGABAD (M.S), DURING SUMMER

S.L. Pawar and M.R. Jadhav

Abstract

Temperature and availability of the food materials are major environmental factors controlling bivalve species distribution and influencing physiological processes, such as feeding, respiration, growth and reproduction (Widdows and Bayne, 1971). Considering the habitat specific changes in the metabolic activities of freshwater bivalve molluscs, we report here the habitat related variations in the rate of oxygen consumption, rate of ammonia excretion and O:N ratio of freshwater bivalve molluscs, from two different habitats. The freshwater bivalve, Lamellidens marginalis of 67-72mm shell- length were selected from two different habitat (i.e. lentic and lotic) of Jayakwadi at Paithan near Aurangabad (M.S) for determination of changes in the rate of oxygen consumption, rate of ammonia excretion and O: N ratio (ratio of oxygen consumption to nitrogen excretion) during summer season. The bivalves from lentic habitat showed low rate of oxygen consumption and high rate of ammonia excretion. The rate of oxygen consumption was found increased in bivalves collected from lotic habitat, compared to bivalve from lentic habitat. The O:N ratio showed higher values in bivalves collected from lotic habitat on April during summer season.