East Kolkata Wetland (EKW) has been assigned the status of Ramsar Site because of its vastness as well as self purification capabilities which have been utilized by local people for the massive agricultural and aquaculture production for more than one century. In this context, an attempt has been made in the present paper to evaluate the existing environmental health of four selected contrasting wetlands of this eco-zone of global importance by qualitative and quantitative hydro-biological studies. Two of the selected wetlands (study site-III and study site-IV) used to receive water from raw sewage after undergoing phytoremediation process. The study site-II has been selected with a view to evaluate the pollution stress on the structural components of this wetland ecosystem as it receives waste water because of anthropogenic activities, and the study site-I is away from any pollution impact as it is located in a well managed natural park. Quantification of the variabilities of different biotic components caused by water pollution has been assessed by recording binary distribution patterns of zooplankton and similarity indices. Besides, new Biotic Indices (Species Pollution Value—SPV and Community Pollution Value—CPV) have been developed using data on the distributional patterns of zooplankton in order to assess the degree of pollution of the studied wetlands. Seasonal water quality data along with qualitative and quantitative information of biological parameters have also been taken into consideration to highlight the impact of phytoremediation on wetland ecosystem dynamics on one hand and pollution stress on the structural and functional components of the water body on the other hand.
KeywordsWetlandsRamsar SiteHydrobiologyZooplanktonPhytoremediationSpecies Pollution Value (SPV)Community Pollution Value (CPV)
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