The Kole land supports a variety of macrophytes, and their associated fauna.
The present study was conducted to assess the macroinvertebrate communities
associated with the microhabitats of macrophytes, Monochoria vaginalis and
Eichhornia crassipes from the Ponnani kole. The samples were collected during premonsoon,
monsoon and post monsoon seasons from 1 m2 area of the vegetation. The
area was demarked into quadrates. The samples were then taken using a scoop net and
immediately transferred in to a polythene bag along with water. The vegetation in the
polythene bag which served as the sampling unit was taken to the laboratory to observe
the abundance and diversity of macroinvertebrates associated with the macrophytes.
Physico-chemical parameters such as pH, temperature, salinity and dissolved oxygen
were also analyzed. The number of organisms in each group associated with the
macrophytes were identified. The identified taxa were Annelida, Crustacea, Insecta,
Arachnida, Gastropoda and Bivalvia. The taxa Insecta & Crustacea were found
dominant in both Monochoria vaginalis and Eichhornia crassipes during pre and post
monsoon. While during monsoon Insecta alone were found dominating in both the
macrophytes. Twenty seven species of macroinvertebrates were found associated with
the two macrophytes. On Monochoria vaginalis a total of nineteen species and on
Eichhornia crassipes twenty two species of macroinvertebrates were observed. The
results of the present study reveal that the two macrophytes provide habitat for diverse
invertebrates, the abundance of which denotes the rich productivity of the area.
Keywords: Eichhornia crassipes, fauna, kole land, macroinvertebrates,
macrophytes, Monochoria vaginalis, wetland ecosystem.
