STUDIES ON THE OCCURRENCE AND SEASONAL ABUNDANCE OF AQUATIC COLEOPTERA IN RELATION TO SOME PHYSICOCHEMICAL PARAMETERS OF WATER OF GHARANA WETLAND RESERVE JAMMU (J AND K)

Abstract

The present study was aimed to record the occurrence and abundance of aquatic beetles (Order: Coleoptera) and physicochemical factors of water of Gharana wet land. Specimens were collected from September, 2008 to August, 2009 with pond net. A total of 11 aquatic beetle species belonging to 03 families viz. Hydrophilidae, Dytiscidae and Staphylinidae were collected. Out of these 03 families the most abundant family was Dytiscidae (56%) followed by Hydrophilidae (40%) and Staphylinidae (4%). Physicochemical parameters like water and air temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen (DO) and free carbondioxide (FCO2 ) were also measured.