Fish and macrophyte diversity in a tropical river under threat from municipal waste

Fishes thrive in balanced ecosystems, where threats like invasive fish species and extensive anthropogenic activity can significantly reduce native fish populations. Macrophytes play a crucial role in providing shelter and breeding grounds for small native fish species. This study was conducted to...

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Main Authors: Annie Pushpa Isaac, Nirmal Magadalenal Nathaniel
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BdFISH 2025-08-01
Series:Journal of Fisheries
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journal.bdfish.org/index.php/fisheries/article/view/1026
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author Annie Pushpa Isaac
Nirmal Magadalenal Nathaniel
author_facet Annie Pushpa Isaac
Nirmal Magadalenal Nathaniel
author_sort Annie Pushpa Isaac
collection DOAJ
description Fishes thrive in balanced ecosystems, where threats like invasive fish species and extensive anthropogenic activity can significantly reduce native fish populations. Macrophytes play a crucial role in providing shelter and breeding grounds for small native fish species. This study was conducted to assess the fish and macrophyte diversity, water quality parameters, and potential pollution sources in a tropical river (Virinjipuram (Palar) River, Tamil Nadu) in India between January and March 2025. It also highlights the anthropogenic impacts on fish population. Our results show that 20 species were identified including 18 native and 2 exotic species (Oreochromis niloticus and Oreochromis mossambicus). Cypriniformes was the most dominant order with 12 fish species, followed by Perciformes (3 species), Cichliformes (3 species) and Siluriformes (2 species). IUCN global status of native species revealed 16 species as Least Concern, Parambassis lala as Near Threatened and Devario fraseri as Vulnerable. Five macrophytes were observed, indicating potential interactions between fish populations and macrophytes in influencing habitat dynamics. The presence of invasive species and extensive municipal waste dumping along the riverbank is of major concern. Our present finding suggests that measures have to be taken to mitigate the anthropogenic activities to conserve the native fish fauna.
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spelling doaj-art-1425c8a20f594821b7aba4fee765976b2025-08-20T02:57:22ZengBdFISHJournal of Fisheries2311-729X2311-31112025-08-0113210.17017/j.fish.1026Fish and macrophyte diversity in a tropical river under threat from municipal wasteAnnie Pushpa Isaac0Nirmal Magadalenal Nathaniel1PG and Research Department of Zoology, Voorhees College, Vellore 632 001, Affiliated to Thiruvalluvar University, Serkkadu, Vellore 632 115, Tamil Nadu, IndiaPG and Research Department of Zoology, Voorhees College, Vellore 632 001, Affiliated to Thiruvalluvar University, Serkkadu, Vellore 632 115, Tamil Nadu, India Fishes thrive in balanced ecosystems, where threats like invasive fish species and extensive anthropogenic activity can significantly reduce native fish populations. Macrophytes play a crucial role in providing shelter and breeding grounds for small native fish species. This study was conducted to assess the fish and macrophyte diversity, water quality parameters, and potential pollution sources in a tropical river (Virinjipuram (Palar) River, Tamil Nadu) in India between January and March 2025. It also highlights the anthropogenic impacts on fish population. Our results show that 20 species were identified including 18 native and 2 exotic species (Oreochromis niloticus and Oreochromis mossambicus). Cypriniformes was the most dominant order with 12 fish species, followed by Perciformes (3 species), Cichliformes (3 species) and Siluriformes (2 species). IUCN global status of native species revealed 16 species as Least Concern, Parambassis lala as Near Threatened and Devario fraseri as Vulnerable. Five macrophytes were observed, indicating potential interactions between fish populations and macrophytes in influencing habitat dynamics. The presence of invasive species and extensive municipal waste dumping along the riverbank is of major concern. Our present finding suggests that measures have to be taken to mitigate the anthropogenic activities to conserve the native fish fauna. https://journal.bdfish.org/index.php/fisheries/article/view/1026fish diversitymacrophytesVirinjipuram (Palar) Riverconservationanthropogenic impacts
spellingShingle Annie Pushpa Isaac
Nirmal Magadalenal Nathaniel
Fish and macrophyte diversity in a tropical river under threat from municipal waste
Journal of Fisheries
fish diversity
macrophytes
Virinjipuram (Palar) River
conservation
anthropogenic impacts
title Fish and macrophyte diversity in a tropical river under threat from municipal waste
title_full Fish and macrophyte diversity in a tropical river under threat from municipal waste
title_fullStr Fish and macrophyte diversity in a tropical river under threat from municipal waste
title_full_unstemmed Fish and macrophyte diversity in a tropical river under threat from municipal waste
title_short Fish and macrophyte diversity in a tropical river under threat from municipal waste
title_sort fish and macrophyte diversity in a tropical river under threat from municipal waste
topic fish diversity
macrophytes
Virinjipuram (Palar) River
conservation
anthropogenic impacts
url https://journal.bdfish.org/index.php/fisheries/article/view/1026
work_keys_str_mv AT anniepushpaisaac fishandmacrophytediversityinatropicalriverunderthreatfrommunicipalwaste
AT nirmalmagadalenalnathaniel fishandmacrophytediversityinatropicalriverunderthreatfrommunicipalwaste