Anthropogenic Impact on Fish Faunal Diversity and Their Habitat Ecology in the Ganga River and Its Tributaries, Uttarakhand

Abstract

The Ganges is one of the largest riverine ecosystem of India which supports diverse aquatic biodiversity in comparison to other aquatic ecosystems. The endemic fish species richness has significantly contributed to the eco-biocoenosis of Ganges riverine ecosystem. The main purpose of the current research was to assess the assemblage structure of endemic fish fauna in the river Ganges and its correlation towards the major water quality parameters. Collection of endemic fish species and important water quality parameters from eight sampling zones of river Ganges were done for the period of two years from September 2017 to August 2019. Fish diversity status was assessed by software PAST (version 3.0). The results of the current experimental research work evidently showed that Ganges riverine system offers the natural habitat of 31 fish species. Cyprinidae was the most dominant family followed by Balitoridae, Sisoridae, Schilbidae, Mastacembelidae, Salmonidae. Several physico-chemical parameters i.e. Water velocity, depth, water temperature, turbidity and dissolved oxygen subsidized as key significant environmental factors which directly and indirectly influence the diversity, species richness and distribution of fish population in the Ganges riverine ecosystem.