Comparative Spatial And Temporal Analysis of Ecology of Ponds with varying Management Practices

1. Comparative Spatial And Temporal Analysis of Ecology of Ponds with varying Management Practices Kannan Dorai Pandian & Arun Raja Thangasamy Department of Botany Thiagarajar College Madurai- 625 009 INDIA

2. Key Questions What would be the nature of ecosystem components and functioning of different fresh water ponds with different utilization and conservation methods? How these factors influence on the fresh water ponds’ productivity and services which in turn provides potential benefits to the community and environment?

3. Objectives • Physical and chemical nature of surface water in the selected experimental ponds and to analyze flora diversity in the dry ponds for the establishment of comparative data set between them • To studythe ecological dynamics of the association among all the variables, existing in the selected ponds

4. Scope of the Work • Parameters studied and their interrelationship which further discussed to the context of pond quality with regard to management and its sustainability for the benefit of mankind and ecosystem health

5. Perungudi Pond (PRDI) (N0.9º 51.183’; E078º0.5.851’) 1) Location: Madurai District, Southern India Pond Area: 30 ha. Water Source: Seasonal River Canal Utilization: Agriculture irrigation Disturbance: High

6. 2) Vettangudi Pond (VDGI) (N10º 0.610’; E78º01.23’) Location: Sivaganga District, southern India Pond Area: 36.4 ha Water Source: Rain water storm Utilization: Eco-tourism, Agriculture irrigation, Domestic utility including drinking Conservation: Ban on fishing, cracking of fire works

7. Glossy Ibis Spoon Bill Little Grebe Blcue Winged Teal Asian openbill Stork Sarus Crane

8. Works done – Sampling and Analysis • Surface water sampling at regular monthly intervals for 5 times (Oct. 2009 – Jan. 2010) • Water analysis for pH, salinity, alkalinity, saturated CO2, Dissolved O2, Primary productivity, sulfate and phosphorus contents • Vegetation study in the dry ponds of Perungudi and Vettangudi

9. Works done – Data Analysis • SPSS/PC – Descriptive statistics & correlation studies • Multiple comparison of data – Student Newman Keuls test • Bray Curtis Similarity Measure – Cluster Analysis

10. Seasonal properties of water samples collected from PDRI pond

11. Seasonal properties of water samples, collected from VDGI pond

12. Correlation graphs showing the relationship between the analyzed variables of the PRDI pond water samples Y = (0.05X)-1.05; r=0.98 Y = (0.005X)+0.0084; r=0.75 Y = (0.21X) - 2.93; r = 0.98 Y = (0.25X)+3.14; r=0.92

13. Correlation graphs showing the relationship between the analyzed variables of the VDGI pond water samples Y = (-11.76X)+100.08; r= -0.83 Y = (0.17X)-4.06; r= 0.95 Y = (82.18X)-411.03; r= -0.82

14. Dendrogram developed by cluster analysis for the analyzed physical and chemical variables over the study period for A) PRDI and B) VDGI ponds

15. Vegetation Analysis

16. Conclusion • Physical and chemical nature of pond water is dynamic over time and ecological functioning; for which the pond utility plays a major role • Results on the vegetation analysis indicated the natural and anthropogenic disturbances and further studies will be carried out on the microflora and microfauna diversity which depends on the physical and chemical nature of water

17. Future Prospects • Such monitoring studies would be beneficial to understand better on the process of fresh water pond ecosystem development and their services for the society and sustainable environment • Further proper management guidelines can be evolved for the proper management of such water bodies

18. Thank you