EICHHORNIA CRASSIPES AS A MOST PREFERRED HABITAT FOR MACROBENTHIC INVERTEBRATES

Abstract

Author(s): Samita Chowdhary* and K.K. Sharma

Macrophytes play an important role in aquatic ecosystems, providing shelter, breeding habitats and epiphytic forage for numerous fishes and aquatic animals. This work was based on the assumption that the structure of the macrobenthic invertebrates associated with Eichhornia crassipes is influenced its complex architecture. During the present investigative period a total of 40 species was observed chiefly belonging to platyhelminthes, annelida, arthropoda and mollusc. In addition to this some pollution tolerant species were also found associated with Eichhornia crassipes.