FISH DIVERSITYIN GLACIAL AND SPRING-FED WATER BODIES OF CHAMPAWAT DISTRICT IN THE KUMAON REGION OF UTTARAKHAND STATE, INDIA

Abstract

In the present study, four water bodies of Champawat district, Uttarakhand India, were studied to determine fish diversity in relation to the physical habitat. On the basis of entrenchment ratio, river Chalti was classified as 'D' type. Sharda and Saryu 'F' type and Lohawati as a 'B' type river. The substrate was mainly dominated by boulders, cobbles, gravel and pebble in the Saryu and Chalti rivers, boulders in the Lohawati and sand and silt in the Sharda river. With respect to water velocity, Chalti river was classified as intermediately productive, Lohawati river as less productive whereas, Saryu and Sharda rivers didnot fit in the productive or less-productive categories. A total of 10 species belonging to 8 genera, 3 families (Cyprinidae, Cobitidae, Mastacembeliodae) and orders Cypriniformes and Percifonnes) were recorded from the selected sites. On the basis of altitude, an inverse relationship was observed with species richness.