జర్నల్ ఆఫ్ ఎకోసిస్టమ్ & ఎకోగ్రఫీ

నైరూప్య

Distribution Pattern of Rooted Floating Leaf Type Macrophytes in Response to Water Depth in a Fresh Water Lake of Kashmir Himalaya

Shabir A Khanday, A R Yousuf, Zafar A Reshi and Arshid Jehangir

The distribution of rooted floating-leaf type macrophytes were studied in response to water depth in Manasbal Lake of Kashmir Himalaya. Seven aquatic plant species viz., Potamogeton natans, Trapa natans, Nelumbo nucifera, Nymphoides peltatum, Nymphaea alba, Hydrocharis dubia and Euryale ferox were observed along three different depth zones in the lake. The depth zones D1 (0-100 cm) and D2 (101-200 cm) were noticed to be suitable for the growth of macrophytes in terms of their community features while as less values of the same for plant species were observed at a depth range of 201-300 cm (D3). Thus, a certain effect was depicted by water depth on the community of rooted floating aquatic plant species, which could be used as a potential management strategy to control their infestation in the Lake ecosystem.