International Journal of Interdisciplinary and Multidisciplinary Studies (IJIMS), 2015, Vol 2, No.11,55-58. 55 Available online at http://www.ijims.com ISSN: 2348 – 0343 A Preliminary Survey of Pollution Tolerant Aquatic Plants of Kolong river, Nagaon, Assam *K.K.Medhi1, S. Borkataki2 , S. Borthakur3 1-2 3 Department of Botany, Nowgong College, Nagaon, Assam. Department of Botany, Gauhati University, Guwahati, Assam. *Corresponding author : K.K.Medhi Abstract The present communication deals with the study of pollution tolerant aquatic plants of river Kolong, flows through several heavily populated urban sites of Nagaon District. The study reveals enumeration of 54 species of angiosperm followed by 4 species of pteridothytes was reported. Among the identified species Eichhornia crassipes is the most dominant followed by Alternenthera phyloxeroides and Polygonum glabra. Keywords: Pollution tolerant, Kolong, Nagaon, Urban. Introduction In the middle Assam, Nagaon district is blessed with several rivers, reserve forests, hills and hillocks, and the famous world heritage site, Kaziranga National Park. Out of the several river and tributaries, the river Kolong, a distributory of mighty Brahmaputra flows through the district about a distance of 100 K.M. At present the upstream part of the river become dead, only towards the downstream part, river is filled with water in the winter season. Due to the increase concentration of several man made pollutants like pesticide, plastics, chemicals, organic wastes, hydrocarbon etc. as well as natural domestic pollutants like house hold debris, organic debris, litters etc., the river is heavily polluted. According to the water quality analysis report of MOEF, Govt of India, Kolong is one of the most pollutant river of Assam. Though there are several measures like chemical, physical, biological methods to evaluate the health and water quality of a river, the analysis of pollution tolerant species, as well as pollution tolerant index is a very significant means of measuring the health of a river or stream (Willium M. Beck, 1994; Gerresten et al 1995).The present communication deals with the collection, identification, documentation and availability of the pollution tolerant plant species growing along the river course at different study sites. Materials and Methods Season wise survey, collection, identification and taxonomic documentation of aquatic plant species were done. For convenience and observing the climatic condition, the whole year has been divided into Monsoon (May to October) and Post Monsoon (November to April) seasons. For sample survey and collection, 4 (four) study sites in the up and down stream region of the river namely Jakhalabandha, Koliabor, Nagaon and Hariamukh (Raha) had been selected and their geographical coordinates are recorded. The collected specimens were identified by studying micro and macro-morphological characters and in consultation with available literatures and references (Fischer, 1931; Hazarika & Borthakur, 2014; Hazarika & Dutta, 1994; Bennet, 1986 ). Using standard method (Rao & Verma, 1972) herbarium preparation of such plants was done. Further conformation was done by comparing its description and herbarium sheets with the local herbarium of Gauhati University and BSI herbarium, Shillong. International Journal of Interdisciplinary and Multidisciplinary Studies (IJIMS), 2015, Vol 2, No.11,55-58. 56 The different season’s pollution tolerant species are listed out in tabular forms. They may be categories as follows class 1- Pollution sensitive species (never grow in polluted environment) e.g, Aponogetum, Potamogeton, class 2 – Moderately sensitive species - moderately tolerant to polluted environment e.g. Hydrilla, Vallisneria and class 3 – Tolerant species e.g Eichhornia, Alocassia etc. (Kshirsagar & Gunale, 2013; Kumar et al. 2012) Table 1: Study sites and GPS co-ordinations. Sl No Study site G P S co-ordinations 0 / 1 Jakhalabandha- 26 30 45.5// N 92056/34.2//E 2 Koliabor 26035/24.5//N 92056/34.2// E 3 Nagaon Town 26020/09.4//N 92040/02.8//E 4 Hariamukh (Raha) 26013/22.8//N 92032/31.0//E Result and Discussion Different macrophytic species of angiosperm and pteidophytes were collected during different seasonal field visits. As a result of the study a total of 58 species of angiosperm and pteridophytes, of monsoon and post monsoon seasons , belonging to 30 families and 40 genera are collected. Out of which 4 pteidophytes, 24dicot and 30 monocot species were identified. Most of the above species have the capacity of absorbing different pollutants like heavy metal, pesticides, organic deposits and other toxins. Some of the important pollution tolerant species collected from the study sites were Echhornia, Alocassia Colocassia, Alternanthra, Monocharia, Pistia and Persicaria. Findings of the study are presented in tabular form as follows 1) Monsoon Season plants (May-October) Table – II S\N 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. Name Alternenthera philozeroides (Mart) Griseb. A. pungens Kunth. A. sessilis (L) R. Br.exDC. Aponogeton natans (L) Engl.& Krorse. Azolla pinnatal (pteridophyte) Alocassia acuminate Schott. A. tornicata (Roxb.) Schott. A. indica (Lour) Koch. Amorphophallus bulbifera (Schott) Bl. Arundo donax Lin. Bacopa monieri (L) Penmell. Cynodon dactylon (L) Pers. Colocassia esculenta (L) Schott. C. benghalensis Lin. C. oblique Buch. Ham. Cyperus rotundus Lin. C. brevifolius (rottb) Haosk. Commelina diffusa Burm. Dentella repense (Limn) Frost. Eclipta prostrata Lin. Eichhornia crassipes (Mart.) Solms. Heliotropium indicum Linm. Hydrilla verticillata (L. F.) Royle. Family Amaranthaceae Amaranthaceae Amaranthaceae Aponogetonaceae Salviniaceae Araceae Araceae Araceae Araceae Poaceae Scrophulariaceae Poaceae Araceae Araceae Araceae Cyperaceae Cyperaceae Commelinaceae Rubiaceae Arteraceae Pontederiaceae Boraginaceae Hydrocharitaceae Occurrence site Nagaon Koliabor All sites Hariamukh From all sites Do Do Do Koliabor, Raha Jakhalabandha, Koliabor Koliabor Do Do All sites Koliabor Koliabor All sites Nagaon, Koliabor Nagaon, Koliabor All the sites Do Do Nagaon, Kaliabor,Hariamukh International Journal of Interdisciplinary and Multidisciplinary Studies (IJIMS), 2015, Vol 2, No.11,55-58. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 36. 37. Hymenachne pseudo-interrupta C. Muell. Jussaiea repens L. Leersia hexandra Sw. Manochoria hastate (L) Solms M. vaginalis (Burm F.) Presl Nymphaea nouchali Burm F. N. rubra Roxb ex Andreas Nymphoides cristatum (Roxb) o. Kuntze Pistia stratiodis L Polygonum orientale (L) Spach P. perfoliata (L) G. Gross P. reemcinata (Buch-Ham ex D Don) Persicaria auriculata Kunth. P. bahbata (L) Hara Poaceae Onagraceae Poaceae Panitidewaceae Panitidewaceae Nymphaceae Nymphaceae Nymphaceae Araceae Polygonaceae Polygonaceae Polygonaceae Polygonaceae Polygonaceae 57 Koliabor , Nagaon Koliabor, Nagaon, Koliabor, Nagaon, Hariamukh Nagaon, Koliabor Do Koliabor, Nagaon, Hariamukh Do Nagaon, Hariamukh All sites All sites Koliabor, Nagaon Do Koliabor,Nagaon,Hariamukh All sites 2) Post Monsoon Season (Nov-April) Table – III S/N 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Name Aeschynomense indica L Acorus calamus L Ceratophyllum demersum L Cyperus corymbosus Rottb C. playtistylis R Br Cynodon dactylon (L) Pers Enhydra fluctuans Lour Family Papilianaceae Araceae Ceratophyllaciae Cyperaceae Cyperaceae Poaceae Asteraceae Study Site Koliabor, Hariamukh Koliabor Koliabor, Nagaon,Hariamukh All the sites Do Do Do 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. Hoppea dichotoma Wild Hygrophila auriculata (Schum) Heine Ipomoea aquatica Forsk I.carnea (Mart ex. Choisy) Austin Lemna perpusilla Torrey Ludwigia perrenis Linn Rumex dentatus Llinn Spirodela polyrrhiza (L) Schleid S. punctata (Mayer) Thomson Vallisneria spiralis Linn Vetiveria Zizaniodes (L) nash Gentianaceae Acanthoceae Convolvulaceae Convolvulaceae Lemnaceae Onagraceae Polygonaceae Polygonaceae Polygonaceae Hydrocharitaceae Poaceae Do Nagaon, Koliabor, Jakhalabandha Do Nagaon, Koliabor All the sites All sites Koliabor, Nagaon, Hariamukh Do Nagaon, Koliabor Nagoan, Koliabor Koliabor, Nagaon, Hariamukh Table – IV Conclusion From the above studies it is revealed that many pollution tolerant species are growing along the river course, signifying the high level pollution of the river. Besides the frequency of occurence of pollution tolerant species is high in the Koliabor & Nagaon Township sites. This clearly indicates that, this part of the river is highly polluted. Study of the water quality parameters like pH, D O, turbidity, TDS etc also confirms the high pollution level of the river. Effective urgent measures required to adopt to reduce the level of pollution for the future sustainability of the river. International Journal of Interdisciplinary and Multidisciplinary Studies (IJIMS), 2015, Vol 2, No.11,55-58. 58 References S. Ramesh Kumar, T. Arumugam, C.R., Anandakumar, S.Balakrishnan & D.S.Rajavel (2012). Use of Plant Species in Controlling Environment Pollution- A Review. Bulletin of Environment, Pharmocology and Life Sciences. Vol 2(2),52-63. Hajarika,S AND Borthakur, S.K. (2014). Hydrophytic Flora of Assam II. Diversity of aquatic and wetland vascular plants of Nagaon District of Assam, INDIA. Pleione 8(1): 96-108. Hazarika, A.K & Dutta, A. (1994). Limnological studies of two freshwater ponds of Guwahati, Assam. Environment and Ecology. 12(1), pp 26-29. Bennet,S.S.R. (1986). Name changes of flowering plants of India and adjacent areas. Tata Mc Graw Hill Publication. Kanjilal U.N, Kanjilal P.C, Das A and Dey R.N. (1934-1940).Flora of Assam Vol I-IV. Bor N.L. I1940). Flora of Assam Vol- V. Fig: Photographs showing habitats of different ecological species from different sites of river Kollong.