International Congress of Environmental Research

Orgnized byJournal of Environmental Research And Development (JERAD) An International, Inter-disciplinary Research Journal of Natural Sciences, Technology, Social Sciences, Law and Management for Environment A-6, Comfort Garden, Janki Nagar, Chuna Bhatti, Bhopal462016 (India) www.jerad.org & Sardar Vallabhbhai National Institute of Technology (SVNIT) Globally accepted centre of excellence in Technical Education Ichchhanath, Surat395007 (India) http://www.svnit.ac.in Article : SS-I-1119, Page 233

ICER-11

ASSESSMENT OF POLLUTION STATUS OF AMBIENT WATER BODIES USING FOOD SELECTION HABIT OF MYSTUS GULIO (HAM.) FROM ULHAS RIVER ESTUARY AND THANE CREEK IN THE VICINITY OF THANE, MAHARASHTRA, INDIA
Sudesh D. Rathod* and Nandini Patil Department of Zoology, B. N. Bandodkar College of Science, Thane, Maharashtra (INDIA) *E-mail : Sudesh_rathod@yahoo.co.in : nanda_p004@yahoo.co.in

ABSTRACT
Feeding habit of Mystus gulio (Ham.) from Ulhas river estuary (URE) and Thane creek (TC) was analyzed to ordain the relation between their food selection habit and the pollution status of the two ambient waters. A seasonal data of hydro-sedimentological parameters and total 119 and 104 specimens from the URE and TC respectively were collected for their stomach contents analysis using point method, during Monsoon (MON), early postmonsoon (EPM), late post-monsoon (LPM) and pre-monsoon (PRM) seasons from July 2004 to June 2006. The hydro-sedimentological parameters such as Suspended solids (SS), dissolved oxygen (DO), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and Organic C were recorded. Food items were classified as Polychaete worms (P Wo), insects (Ints), crustaceans (Cru), mollusks (Mol), others (Other) and non-food matters (NF). NF component was represented by coconut husk, eggshells, chicken feathers, pieces of brick, gravel, plastic etc. of anthropogenic origin. The percentage frequency of occurrence (F) revealed the predominance of P Wo, and Mol in both the water bodies, indicative of main food items. Feeding index (IA) shows high percentage of P Wo, Mol and NF in food composition of M. gulio which attributed to vacuity index (VI). Both NF being compensatory food and conspicuous VI in feeding of M. gulio ascribed to the higher pollution in TC as compared to URE. The food selection habit of M. gulio was corroborating with the pollution status of the ambient water bodies. Key Words : Mystus gulio, Food selection, Feeding, Estuary, Creek, Pollution status