Abstract

This paper deals with the analysis of zooplankton community and assessment of water quality of Upper Manair Reservoir of Telangana State. The studies were carried out on the reservoir water during 2016-2017 and 2017-2018 at different sites. The environmental conditions were varied widely according to season at the site. During the time of investigation 45 species of zooplanktons were recorded out of these 24 species were rotifers 08 were Cladocera, 08 were copepods, 0₂ were ostracods and 03 were protozoans and the total density of zooplanktons ranged from 400 to 403 Number of Organisms/mL the highest densities were noted in the months of December and January. The water quality parameters like temperature, pH, DO, COD, BOD were also analyzed and the correlation studies undertaken zooplankton showed significant relation with Cl⁻,DO, NO₃ ^-,TA, COD, HCO₃ ^- BOD and inverse relation the parameters like pH, Ca₂₊, Mg_{2 +} PO₄³ and TDS. The results were indicated water quality influence on zooplankton abundance and distribution in the reservoir. The impact of seasonal changes on zooplankton biodiversity was carried out for a period from 2016 to 2018. The statistical analysis reveals a significant correlation between the presence of zooplankton species and some environmental parameters. The change in a biotic factors is reflected in the biological activity of reservoir during 2016 to 2018 appears to be strongly negative influenced by calcium ions, magnesium ions, phosphates and total dissolved solids and positive effect by pH, dissolved oxygen, nitrates, total alkalinity, chemical oxygen demand, biological oxygen demand and bicarbonates. In current study, the group wise zooplankton species diversity such as rotifers, Cladocera, copepods, ostracods and protozoan’s were ranged 24, 08,08, 02 and 03 respectively during the study period. The minimum species diversity was found during the monsoon (June-September) period while the maximum was observed in post-monsoon (October-January) period.