Species diversity, distribution and biomass variability of the macrophyte community in Tamdil Lake, India
摘要
Tamdil is a mountainous lake of Mizoram located in the Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspot region. The lake is one of the least studied water bodies in Northeast India. The present investigation delineates the distribution, diversity, and biomass variations of the macrophyte vegetation in Tamdil lake. The macrophyte communities exhibited an aggregate pattern of distribution in the lake. Sixteen macrophytes were recorded in total, mostly under the emergent category (82.25%). The most prominent growth forms reported are Helophytes (43.75%) and Rhizopleustohelophytes (31.25%) with notable species viz. Alternanthera philoxeroides, Echinochloa stagnina, Eichhornia crassipes and Nymphaea pygmaea helvola. Biomass varied considerably during the entire study period. This study revealed the intricate relationship between the quantitative attributes, diversity indices, and biomass of the macrophyte vegetation. We believe that our findings would facilitate all the stakeholders in designing suitable strategies for monitoring and managing the macrophytes in the aquatic ecosystem.