Ropar Wetland
Encyclopedia
Ropar Wetland, also named Ropar Lake, is a man-made freshwater riverine and lacustrine
wetland
. The area has at least 9 mammal
, 154 bird
(migratory and local), 35 fish
, 9 arthropod
, 11 rotifer
, 9 crustacean
and 10 protozoan species, making it biologically diverse
.
This important ecological zone is located in the Shivalik
foothills of the Lower Himalayas
and was created in 1952 on the Sutlej River, in the Punjab
state of India
, by building a head regulator to store and divert water for beneficial uses of irrigation, drinking and industrial water supply. The endangered turtle
Chitra indica
and the threatened snake Python molurus ("at lower risk"), as per IUCN Redlist, are reported to be resident in the wetland. Considering the wetland’s diverse and rich biodiversity, Ramsar Convention
has included Ropar Wetland (listed as Ropar Lake) as one of the Ramsar sites among the 21 sites listed under India, for “the conservation of global biological diversity and for sustaining human life through the ecological and hydrological functions they perform.”
The wetland is a popular tourist attraction for bird watching and boating. A tourism complex called the ‘Pinccasia’ is located within the wetland boundary, which is run by the Punjab Tourism Development Corporation. A Boat Club is also functioning.
City, in Roopnagar
and Nawanshahr
districts of Punjab. Chandigarh is the nearest airport, which connects to the rest of India.
at Ropar has displays of the antiquities unearthed during the excavations of mound in the area along with photographs displaying excavation material. The Museum depicts a sequence of six cultural periods or phases, with some breaks from Harappan
times to the present day, found in the 21 metre high ancient mound known as Nalagarh Tibbi overlaying the Shiwalik (also spelt Sivalik) deposition on the left bank of the Satluj River where it emerges into the plains. A deep well with a stone inscription of Emperor Shah Jahan
(A.D. 1627-1658) has been located at the foot of the mound. The excavations have established that advanced civilization similar to the Harappa
and Mohenjodaro Civilization prospered in Ropar town, an integral part of the wetland.
The wetland area has also a modern history in respect of Anglo - Sikh relations. On 26 October 1831, sitting under the shade of an old ficus
tree on the bank of Sutlej River, Maharaja Ranjit Singh
and Lord William Bentinck
, the British Governor General signed an agreement defining the Anglo - Sikh relations and territories.
, rice
, sugarcane
, sorghum
etc., are grown in the farm lands in the area surrounding the wetland but the hills have thin vegetation and are exposed to intensive grazing.
, industrial and domestic use.
residue analysis have been initiated.
, 2) Ameles modesta
, 3)Acacia nilotica
, 4) Albizzia lebbek 5) Azadirachta indica, 6)Bombax ceiba
, 7) Cassia fistula, 8) Dalbergia sissoo
9) Eucalyptus tereticornis
, 10) Ficus benghalensis
, 11)Ficus religiosa, 12) Mangifera indica
, 13)Melia azedarach
, 14) Moringa oleifera
, 15) Morus
indica, 16) Prosopis juliflora
, 17) Salix willow
, 18)Syzygium cumini (Jambul
) and 19) Zizyphus jujuba.
Four species of Amphibia (Frogs) have been noted.
and Chitra indica
(endangered species), five species of lizards, 11 species of snakes including the threatened specie of Python molurus or Indian python or ajgar are found in the wetland.
in the wetland is basically well balanced as it has both deep water and shallow water characteristics and the ecosystem is stated to be
Lake
A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...
wetland
Wetland
A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....
. The area has at least 9 mammal
Mammal
Mammals are members of a class of air-breathing vertebrate animals characterised by the possession of endothermy, hair, three middle ear bones, and mammary glands functional in mothers with young...
, 154 bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
(migratory and local), 35 fish
Fish
Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
, 9 arthropod
Arthropod
An arthropod is an invertebrate animal having an exoskeleton , a segmented body, and jointed appendages. Arthropods are members of the phylum Arthropoda , and include the insects, arachnids, crustaceans, and others...
, 11 rotifer
Rotifer
The rotifers make up a phylum of microscopic and near-microscopic pseudocoelomate animals. They were first described by Rev. John Harris in 1696, and other forms were described by Anton van Leeuwenhoek in 1703...
, 9 crustacean
Crustacean
Crustaceans form a very large group of arthropods, usually treated as a subphylum, which includes such familiar animals as crabs, lobsters, crayfish, shrimp, krill and barnacles. The 50,000 described species range in size from Stygotantulus stocki at , to the Japanese spider crab with a leg span...
and 10 protozoan species, making it biologically diverse
Biodiversity
Biodiversity is the degree of variation of life forms within a given ecosystem, biome, or an entire planet. Biodiversity is a measure of the health of ecosystems. Biodiversity is in part a function of climate. In terrestrial habitats, tropical regions are typically rich whereas polar regions...
.
This important ecological zone is located in the Shivalik
Shivalik
Shivalik may refer to:* Shivalik class frigate* Siwalik Hills, a series of ranges of outer foothills of Himalaya crossing Pakistan, India, Nepal and Bhutan....
foothills of the Lower Himalayas
Himalayas
The Himalaya Range or Himalaya Mountains Sanskrit: Devanagari: हिमालय, literally "abode of snow"), usually called the Himalayas or Himalaya for short, is a mountain range in Asia, separating the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau...
and was created in 1952 on the Sutlej River, in the Punjab
Punjab (India)
Punjab ) is a state in the northwest of the Republic of India, forming part of the larger Punjab region. The state is bordered by the Indian states of Himachal Pradesh to the east, Haryana to the south and southeast and Rajasthan to the southwest as well as the Pakistani province of Punjab to the...
state of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, by building a head regulator to store and divert water for beneficial uses of irrigation, drinking and industrial water supply. The endangered turtle
Turtle
Turtles are reptiles of the order Testudines , characterised by a special bony or cartilaginous shell developed from their ribs that acts as a shield...
Chitra indica
Chitra indica
Indian narrow-headed softshell turtle Chitra indica is a species of turtle found in the major rivers of Pakistan and India.-Diagnostic characters:# Overall color: olive to deep olive-green;# Very complex midline carapacial pattern;...
and the threatened snake Python molurus ("at lower risk"), as per IUCN Redlist, are reported to be resident in the wetland. Considering the wetland’s diverse and rich biodiversity, Ramsar Convention
Ramsar Convention
The Ramsar Convention is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable utilization of wetlands, i.e., to stem the progressive encroachment on and loss of wetlands now and in the future, recognizing the fundamental ecological functions of wetlands and their economic, cultural,...
has included Ropar Wetland (listed as Ropar Lake) as one of the Ramsar sites among the 21 sites listed under India, for “the conservation of global biological diversity and for sustaining human life through the ecological and hydrological functions they perform.”
The wetland is a popular tourist attraction for bird watching and boating. A tourism complex called the ‘Pinccasia’ is located within the wetland boundary, which is run by the Punjab Tourism Development Corporation. A Boat Club is also functioning.
Access
The wetland is located close to the Rupnagar city, 45 km northwest of ChandigarhChandigarh
Chandigarh is a union territory of India that serves as the capital of two states, Haryana and Punjab. The name Chandigarh translates as "The Fort of Chandi". The name is from an ancient temple called Chandi Mandir, devoted to the Hindu goddess Chandi, in the city...
City, in Roopnagar
Roopnagar
Roopnagar is a town in erstwhile Udaipur state in Rajasthan. It is situated on the summit of the Aravallis, between the Desuri and Someshwar passes. Steep and precipitous hill-sides render the village unapproachable from the north and east. It is defended by outworks overlooking the plains and the...
and Nawanshahr
Nawanshahr
Nawanshahr is a city and it became district in 1995. now it is a municipal council in Shahid Bhagat Singh Nagar district in the Indian state of Punjab. It is the headquarters of Shahid Bhagat Singh Nagar District....
districts of Punjab. Chandigarh is the nearest airport, which connects to the rest of India.
History
An archaeological museum of the Archaeological Survey of IndiaArchaeological Survey of India
The Archaeological Survey of India is a department of the Government of India, attached to the Ministry of Culture . The ASI is responsible for archaeological studies and the preservation of archaeological heritage of the country in accordance with the various acts of the Indian Parliament...
at Ropar has displays of the antiquities unearthed during the excavations of mound in the area along with photographs displaying excavation material. The Museum depicts a sequence of six cultural periods or phases, with some breaks from Harappan
Harappan
Harappan can refer to:* Aspects related to Harappa an archaeological site and city in northeast Pakistan* The Indus Valley Civilization that thrived along Indus River...
times to the present day, found in the 21 metre high ancient mound known as Nalagarh Tibbi overlaying the Shiwalik (also spelt Sivalik) deposition on the left bank of the Satluj River where it emerges into the plains. A deep well with a stone inscription of Emperor Shah Jahan
Shah Jahan
Shah Jahan Shah Jahan (also spelled Shah Jehan, Shahjehan, , Persian: شاه جهان) (January 5, 1592 – January 22, 1666) Shah Jahan (also spelled Shah Jehan, Shahjehan, , Persian: شاه جهان) (January 5, 1592 – January 22, 1666) (Full title: His Imperial Majesty Al-Sultan al-'Azam wal Khaqan...
(A.D. 1627-1658) has been located at the foot of the mound. The excavations have established that advanced civilization similar to the Harappa
Harappa
Harappa is an archaeological site in Punjab, northeast Pakistan, about west of Sahiwal. The site takes its name from a modern village located near the former course of the Ravi River. The current village of Harappa is from the ancient site. Although modern Harappa has a train station left from...
and Mohenjodaro Civilization prospered in Ropar town, an integral part of the wetland.
The wetland area has also a modern history in respect of Anglo - Sikh relations. On 26 October 1831, sitting under the shade of an old ficus
Ficus
Ficus is a genus of about 850 species of woody trees, shrubs, vines, epiphytes, and hemiepiphyte in the family Moraceae. Collectively known as fig trees or figs, they are native throughout the tropics with a few species extending into the semi-warm temperate zone. The Common Fig Ficus is a genus of...
tree on the bank of Sutlej River, Maharaja Ranjit Singh
Ranjit Singh
Maharaja Ranjit Singh Ji was the first Maharaja of the Sikh Empire.-Early life:...
and Lord William Bentinck
Lord William Bentinck
Lieutenant-General Lord William Henry Cavendish-Bentinck GCB, GCH, PC , known as Lord William Bentinck, was a British soldier and statesman...
, the British Governor General signed an agreement defining the Anglo - Sikh relations and territories.
Topography
The total area covered by the Wetland is 1365 ha, which includes 800 ha area of the river and the reservoir, 30 ha of forest area named as Sadavarat Forest and 30 ha under marshy plants. The wetland is surrounded by hills in the North West and by plain area in the South and South East. Agricultural crops such as wheatWheat
Wheat is a cereal grain, originally from the Levant region of the Near East, but now cultivated worldwide. In 2007 world production of wheat was 607 million tons, making it the third most-produced cereal after maize and rice...
, rice
Rice
Rice is the seed of the monocot plants Oryza sativa or Oryza glaberrima . As a cereal grain, it is the most important staple food for a large part of the world's human population, especially in East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and the West Indies...
, sugarcane
Sugarcane
Sugarcane refers to any of six to 37 species of tall perennial grasses of the genus Saccharum . Native to the warm temperate to tropical regions of South Asia, they have stout, jointed, fibrous stalks that are rich in sugar, and measure two to six metres tall...
, sorghum
Sorghum
Sorghum is a genus of numerous species of grasses, one of which is raised for grain and many of which are used as fodder plants either cultivated or as part of pasture. The plants are cultivated in warmer climates worldwide. Species are native to tropical and subtropical regions of all continents...
etc., are grown in the farm lands in the area surrounding the wetland but the hills have thin vegetation and are exposed to intensive grazing.
Hydrology
Climatically, the drainage area of the wetland falls under semi-arid zone of Punjab with mean annual rainfall of 1518 mm. Initially, in the year 1882, a small headwork was constructed on the right bank of Sutlej River, near Ropar town, to supply water to Sirhind Canal. Subsequently in 1952 a head regulator was constructed to divert water not only to the Bist Doab Canal but also to Sirhind Canal and to the Bhakra Main Canal (upstream of the wetland), for irrigationIrrigation
Irrigation may be defined as the science of artificial application of water to the land or soil. It is used to assist in the growing of agricultural crops, maintenance of landscapes, and revegetation of disturbed soils in dry areas and during periods of inadequate rainfall...
, industrial and domestic use.
Water quality
Water Quality that determines the health of ecosystem of the wetland was monitored by the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) in the year 1998-99. The water quality was reported to be of 'A' category as the river entered into Punjab and deteriorated to 'D' category downstream of Ropar Lake, mainly due to the industrial effluents from a number of factories and industrial units. Further studies on physico-chemical analysis of important parameters, biological estimations as well as pesticidePesticide
Pesticides are substances or mixture of substances intended for preventing, destroying, repelling or mitigating any pest.A pesticide may be a chemical unicycle, biological agent , antimicrobial, disinfectant or device used against any pest...
residue analysis have been initiated.
Flora
A total of 19 species of trees and 14 species of bushes and grasses are recorded. Of these, the tree species are 1) Acacia catechuAcacia catechu
Acacia catechu also commonly called Mimosa catechu, is a deciduous, thorny tree which grows up to in height. The plant is called khair in Hindi, and kachu in Malay, hence the name was Latinized to "catechu" in Linnaean taxonomy, as the type-species from which the extracts cutch and catechu are...
, 2) Ameles modesta
Ameles modesta
Ameles modesta is a species of praying mantis found in Morocco. It is much larger than other praying mantis....
, 3)Acacia nilotica
Acacia nilotica
Acacia nilotica is a species of Acacia native to Africa and the Indian subcontinent...
, 4) Albizzia lebbek 5) Azadirachta indica, 6)Bombax ceiba
Bombax ceiba
Bombax ceiba, like other trees of the genus Bombax, is commonly known as cotton tree or tree cotton. This tropical tree has a straight tall trunk and its leaves are deciduous in winter. Red flowers with 5 petals appear in the spring before the new foliage. It produces a capsule which, when ripe,...
, 7) Cassia fistula, 8) Dalbergia sissoo
Dalbergia sissoo
Dalbergia sissoo, known as Shisham, is an erect deciduous tree, native to the Indian Subcontinent. It is also called sissoo, sisu, sheesham, tahli and sometimes referred to as Indian Rosewood. It is state tree of Punjab state and provincial tree of Punjab province...
9) Eucalyptus tereticornis
Eucalyptus tereticornis
Eucalyptus tereticornis is a species of tree native to eastern Australia.It has a great many common names, of which Forest Red Gum is perhaps the most widely known...
, 10) Ficus benghalensis
Ficus benghalensis
Ficus benghalensis, the banyan, is a large and extensive growing tree of the Indian subcontinent. Ficus benghalensis produces propagating roots which grow downwards as aerial roots. Once these roots reach the ground, they grow into woody trunks that can become indistinguishable from the main...
, 11)Ficus religiosa, 12) Mangifera indica
Mangifera indica
Mangifera indica is a species of mango in the Anacardiaceae family. It is found in the wild in India and cultivated varieties have been introduced to other warm regions of the world...
, 13)Melia azedarach
Melia azedarach
Melia azedarach is a species of deciduous tree in the mahogany family, Meliaceae, that is native to Pakistan, India, Indochina Southeast Asia and Australia...
, 14) Moringa oleifera
Moringa oleifera
Moringa oleifera, the word Moringa probably came from dravidian language Tamil and commonly referred to as "Shojne" in Bengali, "Munagakaya" in Telugu,"Shenano" in Rajasthani,...
, 15) Morus
Morus
Morus may refer to:* Morus , a genus of trees* Morus , a genus of seabird in the family Sulidae* Thomas Morus, alias Thomas More, a philosopher...
indica, 16) Prosopis juliflora
Prosopis juliflora
Prosopis juliflora is a shrub or small tree native to Mexico, South America and the Caribbean. It has become established as a weed in Asia, Australia and elsewhere. Its uses include forage, wood and environmental management. The tree grows to a height of up to and has a trunk with a diameter of...
, 17) Salix willow
Willow
Willows, sallows, and osiers form the genus Salix, around 400 species of deciduous trees and shrubs, found primarily on moist soils in cold and temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere...
, 18)Syzygium cumini (Jambul
Jambul
Jambul is an evergreen tropical tree in the flowering plant family Myrtaceae. Jambul is native to Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Indonesia...
) and 19) Zizyphus jujuba.
Aqua fauna
Wetland is a major source of fisheries since large species of fishes have been recorded; some of the commercially important ones are:- Rohu; Labeo gonius Seerha]]; LabeoLabeoLabeo is a genus of carps in the family Cyprinidae. They are found mainly in the Old World tropics.It contains the typical labeos in the subfamily Labeoninae, which may not be a valid group, however, and is often included in the Cyprininae as tribe Labeonini...
calbasu Kalbans or Dhai; LabeoLabeoLabeo is a genus of carps in the family Cyprinidae. They are found mainly in the Old World tropics.It contains the typical labeos in the subfamily Labeoninae, which may not be a valid group, however, and is often included in the Cyprininae as tribe Labeonini...
dero Gid; LabeoLabeoLabeo is a genus of carps in the family Cyprinidae. They are found mainly in the Old World tropics.It contains the typical labeos in the subfamily Labeoninae, which may not be a valid group, however, and is often included in the Cyprininae as tribe Labeonini...
dyocheilus (Kunni); CatlaCatlaCatla catla, , also known as Indian Carp, is the only member of the genus Catla, of the carp family Cyprinidae. It is a fish with a large protruding lower jaw. It is commonly found in rivers and freshwater lakes in India , Nepal, Myanmar, Bangladesh and Pakistan...
catla Thal; Cirrhinus mrigala Mori; PuntiusPuntiusPuntius is a genus of ray-finned fishes in the family Cyprinidae of the order Cypriniformes. Fishes of this genus are known as the spotted barbs for the predominant pattern, though many have vertical black bands instead. Also, the Spotted Barb proper is one particular species, Puntius binotatus....
sarana Puthi; Cyprinus carpio communis (Common CarpCommon carpThe Common carp is a widespread freshwater fish of eutrophic waters in lakes and large rivers in Europe and Asia. The wild populations are considered vulnerable to extinction, but the species has also been domesticated and introduced into environments worldwide, and is often considered an invasive...
); Cyprinus carpio spacularis (Mirror carpMirror carpMirror carp are a type of fish, commonly found in the United Kingdom and Europe. The name "Mirror Carp" originates from their scales' resemblance to mirrors. They can grow in excess of 60lb - the last few British record fish have all been mirror carp....
); Ceenopharyngodon idelle (Grass CarpGrass carpThe grass carp is a herbivorous, freshwater fish species of family Cyprinidae, and the only species of the genus Ctenopharyngodon. It is cultivated in China for food, but was introduced in Europe and the United States for aquatic weed control...
); Wallago attuWallago attuWallago attu is a species of catfish in the family Siluridae, or "sheatfishes". The fish is commonly known by its genus name, wallago. Found in large rivers and lakes, it can reach 2.4 m total length...
Mali]]; Aorichthys seenghala Sangarha; Mastacembelus armatus Sam (Tire track eel); Ambasis ranga Shisha Mach; ChannaChannaChanna is a genus of the Channidae family of snakehead fishes. This genus contains about 29 species, but the most well known are probably northern snakehead and the giant snakehead . Channa has a wide natural distribution extending from Iran in the West, to China in the East, and parts of Siberia...
punctatus Dolla (Snake headed fish); and Channa striataChanna striataThe snakehead murrel, Channa striata, is a species of snakehead fish. It is also known as the common snakehead, chevron snakehead, striped snakehead, haloan, aruan, haruan and dalag...
Curd.
Four species of Amphibia (Frogs) have been noted.
Avi fauna
Several species of birds have been recorded which include 49 species of local birds, 11 species of migratory birds, 3 species of rare birds and 54 species of common birds. Some of the rare birds among the migratory birds noted are:- Dinopium benghalense; Golden-backed Woodpecker; Megalaima haemacephala; Crimson-breasted barbet; and M. zeylanica Green barbet
Fauna
Two species of tortoise viz., Geoclemys hamiltoniiGeoclemys hamiltonii
The black pond turtle , also known as the spotted pond turtle, is a species of turtle found in South Asia. It is also known as the Indian spotted turtle. It belongs to the monotypic genus Geoclemys.-Description:...
and Chitra indica
Chitra indica
Indian narrow-headed softshell turtle Chitra indica is a species of turtle found in the major rivers of Pakistan and India.-Diagnostic characters:# Overall color: olive to deep olive-green;# Very complex midline carapacial pattern;...
(endangered species), five species of lizards, 11 species of snakes including the threatened specie of Python molurus or Indian python or ajgar are found in the wetland.
Food chain
The food chainFood chain
A food web depicts feeding connections in an ecological community. Ecologists can broadly lump all life forms into one of two categories called trophic levels: 1) the autotrophs, and 2) the heterotrophs...
in the wetland is basically well balanced as it has both deep water and shallow water characteristics and the ecosystem is stated to be
A Scientific study of the food chain has brought out the following sequence of facts.
almost self sufficient and self-regulating.
- SunlightSunlightSunlight, in the broad sense, is the total frequency spectrum of electromagnetic radiation given off by the Sun. On Earth, sunlight is filtered through the Earth's atmosphere, and solar radiation is obvious as daylight when the Sun is above the horizon.When the direct solar radiation is not blocked...
, pHPHIn chemistry, pH is a measure of the acidity or basicity of an aqueous solution. Pure water is said to be neutral, with a pH close to 7.0 at . Solutions with a pH less than 7 are said to be acidic and solutions with a pH greater than 7 are basic or alkaline...
, inorganic salts, nutrients and dissolved gases are the main abiotic components of the wetland ecosystems with the organic matter caused by the death and decay of animals and plants accumulating at the bottom of the lake - DecompositionDecompositionDecomposition is the process by which organic material is broken down into simpler forms of matter. The process is essential for recycling the finite matter that occupies physical space in the biome. Bodies of living organisms begin to decompose shortly after death...
at the bottom of the lake takes place due to a variety of heterotrophic microbes such as bacteriaBacteriaBacteria are a large domain of prokaryotic microorganisms. Typically a few micrometres in length, bacteria have a wide range of shapes, ranging from spheres to rods and spirals...
, actinomycetes and fungi; AspergillusAspergillusAspergillus is a genus consisting of several hundred mold species found in various climates worldwide. Aspergillus was first catalogued in 1729 by the Italian priest and biologist Pier Antonio Micheli...
sp., RhizopusRhizopusRhizopus is a genus of common saprobic fungi on plants and specialized parasites on animals. They are found on a wide variety of organic substrates, including "mature fruits and vegetables", faeces, jellies, syrups, leather, bread, peanuts and tobacco. Some Rhizopus species are opportunistic agents...
sp., CurvulariaCurvulariaCurvularia is a hyphomycete fungus which is a facultative pathogen of many plant species and of the soil. Most Curvularia are found in tropical regions, though a few are found in temperate zones....
sp., PaecilomycesPaecilomycesPaecilomyces is a genus of nematophagous fungus which kills harmful nematodes by pathogenesis, causing disease in the nematodes. Therefore the fungus can be used as a bio-nematicide to control nematodes by applying it to soil.-Species:...
sp., SaprolegniaSaprolegniaSaprolegnia is a genus of freshwater mould often called a "cotton mould" because of the characteristic white or grey fibrous patches it forms. Current taxonomy puts Saprolegnia as a genus of the heterokonts in the order Saprolegniales.-Habits:...
sp. etc. are main species causing the decomposition - The producers of organic matterOrganic matterOrganic matter is matter that has come from a once-living organism; is capable of decay, or the product of decay; or is composed of organic compounds...
are the eutrophic green plants and some photosynthetic bacteriaBacteriaBacteria are a large domain of prokaryotic microorganisms. Typically a few micrometres in length, bacteria have a wide range of shapes, ranging from spheres to rods and spirals...
; the rooted submerged, floating and emergent hydrophytes being the TyphaTyphaTypha is a genus of about eleven species of monocotyledonous flowering plants in the family Typhaceae. The genus has a largely Northern Hemisphere distribution, but is essentially cosmopolitan, being found in a variety of wetland habitats...
sp., EleocharisEleocharisEleocharis is a genus of 250 or more species of flowering plants in the sedge family, Cyperaceae. They are known commonly as spikerushes, although spikesedges is a more technically appropriate name and most scientists who study them in earnest refer to them as such...
sp., SagittariaSagittariaSagittaria is a genus of about 30 species of aquatic plants whose members go by a variety of common names, including arrowhead, duck potato, iz-ze-kn, katniss, kuwai , swan potato, tule potato, and wapato...
sp., NymphaeaNymphaeaNymphaea is a genus of aquatic plants in the family Nymphaeaceae. There are about 50 species in the genus, which has a cosmopolitan distribution.-Name:The common name, shared with some other genera in the same family, is Water Lily....
sp., PotamogetonPotamogetonPotamogeton is a genus of aquatic, mostly freshwater, plants of the family Potamogetonaceae. Most are known by the common name pondweed, although many unrelated plants may be called pondweed, such as Canadian pondweed...
sp., VallisneriaVallisneriaVallisneria is a genus of freshwater aquatic plant, commonly called eelgrass, tape grass or vallis. The genus has 6-10 species that are widely distributed, but do not grow in colder regions....
sp., Eichhornia sp., LemnaLemnaLemna is a genus of free-floating aquatic plants from the duckweed family. These rapidly-growing plants have found uses as a model system for studies in community ecology, basic plant biology, in ecotoxicology, in production of biopharmaceuticals, and as a source of animal feeds for agriculture...
sp. etc. and minute, floating or suspended lower plants like filamentous algae, diatoms, chlorococcalesChlorococcalesChlorococcales is an order of green algae in the class Chlorophyceae. Individual specimens are sometimes found in soil, but mostly in fresh and marine waters...
and flagellates. - Herbivores such as the mollusks, crustaceans, rotifers and some insects are the primary consumers which feed directly on plants.
- Plant remains and organic matter nourish Detrivores like the ChironomidaeChironomidaeChironomidae are a family of nematoceran flies with a global distribution. They are closely related to the Ceratopogonidae, Simuliidae, and Thaumaleidae...
sp., mollusks, mitesMITESMITES, or Minority Introduction to Engineering and Science, is a highly selective six-week summer program for rising high school seniors held at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Its purpose is to expose students from minority, or otherwise disadvantaged backgrounds, to the fields of...
, some crustaceans and small fishes - Marginal rooted macrophytes are consumed by mammals such as buffaloesWater BuffaloThe water buffalo or domestic Asian water buffalo is a large bovine animal, frequently used as livestock in southern Asia, and also widely in South America, southern Europe, northern Africa, and elsewhere....
, cows etc which frequent the shores of the lake - Hydrophytes are also the food source of some birds
- Carnivores like the Predator beetles and bugs, dragonflies are the secondary consumers which feed on insects, mollusks, rotifers and crustaceans. Carnivorous fishes also belong to this category
- Large carnivorous fishes and birds are the tertiaryTertiaryThe Tertiary is a deprecated term for a geologic period 65 million to 2.6 million years ago. The Tertiary covered the time span between the superseded Secondary period and the Quaternary...
consumers which feed on small fishes and insects. - Top most consumer level is that of the human being and the fish eating birds, which feed mainly on fishes
Adverse impacts on the wetland
Over the years several adverse impacts on the quality of the wetland have been reported. Some of the important ones which invited remedial actions are:- Acute problems of siltation from the adjoining barren and fragile hills. Bare hills of the catchment are subject to continuous erosion leading to shrinkage of wetland area.
- Unwarranted interference with the resident and migratory birds
- Unauthorized fishing and poaching of wildlife causing damage to species
- Increase in effluents from industrializatation in the upstream area of the wetland, such as the Fertilizer plant at Nangal and Thermal Power Plant at Ropar
- Effluents of chemical pollutants like agrochemical residues run off, industrial effluents and sewage from some towns in the upper reaches of the wetland
- Growth of Invasive weeds
Restoration measures
The Punjab State Council for Science & Technology has evolved several conservation programmes with support from the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoE&F) of the Govt of India. Some of the programmes implemented include mass awareness campaigns and promotion of public participation in the wetland conservation. A few of the measures planned and under various stages of implementation are:- Afforestation and soil conservation in the highly erosion prone catchment areas of the wetland,
- To erect chain-link fencing of strategic areas of the wetland to prevent exploitation of vital wetland resources and prevent encroachments of the wetland
- detailed survey, including remote sensing survey and preparation of comprehensive maps
- Detailed taxonomic studies of plant and animal species
- Introduce fish species sustain fragile relationship between the Fish level and the other biotic resources like birds and primary producers and to set up new fish seed farms in addition to refurbish the existing ponds.
- Economic assessment