Present status of aquatic macrophytes of the wetlands of Nalbari district of Assam, India

The present investigation deals with the documentation of aquatic macrophytes from the wetlands of Nalbari district of Assam India situated at the global position between 260 10/ N to 260 47/ N latitude and 900 15/ E to 910 10/ E longitude . The study was carried out in four important wetlands of the district viz. Batua kamakhya beel, Borbilla beel, Borali beel and Ghoga beel for a period of two years i.e. January 2012 to December 2013. All the four wetlands are perennial in nature that remains covered by water along with its aquatic vegetation almost throughout the year. These four wetlands cover a total area of more than 200 hectares. During the investigation the wetlands were visited regularly twice in a month for two years and species growing there were recorded. During the present study, 137 macrophytic species belonging to 114 genera and 53 families have been reported. Poaceae was the most dominant families with 15 species followed by Asteraceae (13 species), Cyperaceae (11 species), Nympheaceae (7 species), and Araceae (6 species).Twenty eight families were represented by one species each. But unfortunately, such very resourceful wetlands of the district are gradually degrading due to various natural and manmade activities like recurring flood that causes heavy siltation, construction of dykes, development of commercial fisheries, excessive growth of invasive aquatic weeds mainly Eichhornia crassipes (Mart.)S.L., Leersia hexandra SW and Hymenachne acutigluma (Steud)Gill which are suppressing the growth of other associated species.

Author(s): Sarada Kanta Sarma and Upen Deka*

Abstract | PDF

Share This Article