Research Journal of Chemical Sciences ______________________________________________ ISSN 2231-606X Vol. 4(8), 58-61, August (2014) Res. J. Chem. Sci. International Science Congress Association 58 Studies on DIEL Fluctuations in Physico-Chemical parameters of Glacial fed Mountainous Goriganga River in Kumaun Himalaya, Uttarakhand, IndiaAshok Kumar Department of Zoology, Kumaun University, Soban Singh Jeena Campus Almora (Uttarakhand) 263601, INDIAAvailable online at: www.isca.in, www.isca.me Received 2nd August 2014, revised 12th August 2014, accepted 18th August 2014 Abstract DIEL Fluctuations in physico-chemical parameters of glacial fed mountainous Goriganga River in Kumaun Himalayawere recorded at Jauljibi (about 600m above the sea level and 187km from University Campus) where Goriganga joins Kaliganga and then defines Indo-Nepal boundary. In the present study a positive relationship between water temperature and dissolved oxygen was observed. Free carbondioxide (CO) was completely absent throughout the study period i.e. for 24 hours. Moreover, there were no definite relationships between water temperature, carbondioxide (CO) and total alkalinity. Keywords: Diurnal, fluctuations, physico-chemicals, glacial fed, goriganga, Kumaun Himalaya, Uttarakhand. IntroductionThe Himalayan ecosystem is one of the most important and most threatened of the life support systems on earth. In the shadow of Himalaya live more than 150 million people, some of them are the poorest in the world. The rivers which arise in the Himalayas and flows down in to Gangetic plains, support agriculture and sustain these people. Among many large rivers, the GorigangaRiver is lying in Munsiyari Tehsil of the Pithoragarh District, part of Uttarakhand state in north India, falls between the latitudes 29\r 45 to 36\r 36 N and longitudes 79\r 59 to 80\r 45. The Goriganga river originates from a dual source in a glacier near south of Untadhura ridge feeding the eastern branch and another glacier near Milam (3600 msl) just north east of Nanda Devi, feeding the western branch. The total catchment area of the river is about 2230 sq.km. Out of which 346 sq.km. is snow bound1 and the whole stretch of river is 100 km. and the Goriganga River runs through the entire length of the valley. Considerable investigations have been made on the DIEL variations in physico-chemicals of various fresh water bodies, i.e. lakes, ponds, reservoirs and rivers2-12. Being glacial fed and very much far from University Campus, no such work has so far been done on this glacial fed mountainous Goriganga river of Kumaun Himalaya. Hence the present venture is an attempt to study the DIEL fluctuations in physico-chemical parameters of glacial fed mountainous Goriganga river. Material and Methods After the preliminary survey of the Goriganga river, the spot was selected keeping in mind its accessible position at night for the study of DIEL fluctuations. The study was made at Jauljibi-600msl. In order to investigate the DIELl fluctuations in physico-chemical parameters of glacial fed Goriganga river, the surface water samples were collected at 4 hour interval for a period of 24 hours from 6 a.m. on the 24th of December-2007 to 2 a.m. on 25th December-2007, when the weather was clear both during day and night. Most of the analysis were made on the spot. The phycico-chemical parameters like ambient temperature, water temperature, dissolved oxygen, free carbondioxide, pH, carbonate, bicarbonate and total alkalinity were estimated by using standard methods13-17. Results and Discussion DIEL fluctuations in physico-chemical parameters of glacial fed mountainous Goriganga river recorded for 24 hours are tabulated in table 1. For the analysis of DIEL fluctuations in physico-chemicals, water samples were collected at the interval of 4 hours starting from 6 a.m. of 24th of December-2007 to 2 a.m. of 25th of December-2007. Well marked DIEL variations have been recorded in most of the physico-chemical parameters. Atmospheric and water temperature varied between 11.5C to 20.5C and 8.5C to 13.5C. The maximum atmospheric temperature 20.5C was recorded during the day hours at 2p.m. and relatively minimum atmospheric temperature 11.5C was recorded during the night hours at 2 a.m. figure 1. Surface water temperature followed the similar trend. The maximum water temperature 13.5C was again recorded during the day hours at 2 a.m. whereas minimum water temperature 8.5C was recorded during the night hours at 2 a.m. figure 2. Dissolved oxygen is the most important factor that supports aquatic life and self purification capacity of water body in high altitude rivers. Dissolved oxygen is the most important gas produced during photosynthesis by plankton and higher aquatic plants in an aquatic environment. It is thus, considered as an Research Journal of Chemical Sciences ___ Vol. 4(8), 58-61, August (2014) International Science Congress Association index functioning of biological and physical processes. The dissolved oxygen fluctuated between 7.2mg/l to 11.6mg/l in the present study figure 3. Maximum value of dissolved oxygen 11.6mg/l was recorded during the day hours at 2 water temperature was 13.5C and minimum dissolved oxygen was recorded during the night hours at 2 temperature was 7.2 C. It was observed that a positive relationship was observed between water temperature and dissolved oxygen during day and night hours. Similar finding have been reported for Yamuna river18 , for pond water Nayar water, a tributary of river Ganga. The present study further confirms the view of Singh et.al. dissolved oxygen during the day hours may be due to the photosynthetic ac tivity of the autotrophs and decrease during night hours might be due to the respiratory activity of the heterotrophs. Figure-1 DIEL Fluctuation in Ambient Temperature Figure-2 DIEL Fluctuation in water Temperature 10152025 Ambient Temperature oC 1015 Water Temperature oC ___ _________________________________ ______________ International Science Congress Association of biological and physical processes. The dissolved oxygen fluctuated between 7.2mg/l to 11.6mg/l in the 3. Maximum value of dissolved oxygen 11.6mg/l was recorded during the day hours at 2 pm when the minimum dissolved oxygen was recorded during the night hours at 2 am when the water C. It was observed that a positive relationship was observed between water temperature and dissolved oxygen during day and night hours. Similar finding s , for pond water 19, for Nayar water, a tributary of river Ganga. The present study further confirms the view of Singh et.al. 20 that increase in dissolved oxygen during the day hours may be due to the tivity of the autotrophs and decrease during night hours might be due to the respiratory activity of the DIEL Fluctuation in Ambient Temperature DIEL Fluctuation in water Temperature Figure DIEL Fluctuation in Figure DIEL Fluctuation in pH Hydrogen ion concentration expressed in terms of pH depends upon the amount of carbonate and free co It is an important indicator that shows the acidic or alkaline nature of water. It is therefore, considered as an index of acidic and alkaline and neutral nature of water. In the present study pH of water remained alkaline and fluctuated from 7.5 to 8.87 figure 4. However, there was no significant differences between the pH values re corded for 24 hours. Free CO was completely absent throughout the 24 hours Carbonates remained below the detection limit, therefore no clear cut pattern was discernible for the parameter. The bicarbonate fluctuated between 125mg/l to 142mg/l M aximum concentration of bicarbonate 142mg/l was recorded at 6pm where as minimum value of bicarbonate 125mg/l was recorded at 2am. The values of total alkalinity ranged from 126mg/l to 144mg/l figure water temperature cou ld be observed with the carbonate, bicarbonate and total alkalinity. Ambient Temperature oC Ambient Temperat … Water Temperature oC 1015 Dissolved Oxygen mg/l 6789 ______________ _________ ISSN 2231-606X Res. J. Chem. Sci. 59 Figure -3 DIEL Fluctuation in Dissolved Oxygen Figure -4 DIEL Fluctuation in pH Hydrogen ion concentration expressed in terms of pH depends upon the amount of carbonate and free co tension in the water. It is an important indicator that shows the acidic or alkaline It is therefore, considered as an index of acidic and alkaline and neutral nature of water. In the present study pH of water remained alkaline and fluctuated from 7.5 to 8.87 However, there was no significant differences between corded for 24 hours. was completely absent throughout the 24 hours : Carbonates remained below the detection limit, therefore no clear cut pattern was discernible for the parameter. The bicarbonate fluctuated between 125mg/l to 142mg/l figure 5. aximum concentration of bicarbonate 142mg/l was recorded at 6pm where as minimum value of bicarbonate 125mg/l was The values of total alkalinity ranged from 6. Further no definite relation of ld be observed with the carbonate, bicarbonate and total alkalinity. Dissolved Oxygen mg/l Dissolved Oxygen mg/l pH pH Research Journal of Chemical Sciences ___ Vol. 4(8), 58-61, August (2014) International Science Congress Association Figure-5 DIEL Fluctuation in Bicarbonate Figure-6 DIEL Fluctuation in Total Alkalinity DIEL fluctuations in physico Date Time Ambient Temperature C Temperature 24-12-2014 6 a.m. 14.5 10 a.m. 17.0 2 p.m. 20.5 6 p.m. 19.0 10p.m. 13.0 25-12-2007 2 a.m. 11.5 115120125130135140145 Bicarbonate mg/l 115120125130135140145 Total Alkalinity ___ _________________________________ ______________ International Science Congress Association DIEL Fluctuation in Bicarbonate DIEL Fluctuation in Total Alkalinity ConclusionFrom the result, it may be concluded that some physic parameters of glacial fed mountainous Goriganga river under investigation for DIEL fluctuations exhibit DIEL pattern of fluctuation to some extent which are controlled by complex interaction of various environm system e.g., light hours, photosynthetic activity, community respiration of aquatic biota present in the water. All these physico- chemical parameters also control each other and in turn influence the DIEL pattern of plankton. Acknowledgement I would like to acknowledge Uttarakhand council of Science and Technology (UCOST) for funding this research. I am also thankful to the Department of Zoology, Kumaun University, Soban Singh Jeena Campus Almora for Providing the laboratory facilities to conduct this study. At last but not least, I am also grateful to my revered Supervisor and Principal Investigator of UCOST research project Prof. S. S. Pathani for his affectionate and ardent help, continuous encouragement, inspiration, maste exposition of the complex problems and constructive criticism in the presentation and interpretation of the results reported herein and under whose guidance and supervision the present investigation was channelled to the goal of success. References 1.Jos hi S.N., Tripathi G. and Tewari H.C., Fish and Fisheries of Goriganga, Advacnes in limnology. (ed.) H.R. Singh. Narendra Publishing house, Delhi, 2. Ganpati S. V., Diurnal variations in dissolved gases, hydrogen ion concentration, some of the substances in three temporary rocky pools in stream bed at Mettur Dam, Hydrobiol., 3. George M.G., Diurnal variations in two shallow ponds in Delhi, India, Hydrobiol ., 4. Michael R.C., Diurnal variations in physic factors and zooplankton in the surface layers of three fresh water ponds, Indian J. Fish, Table-1 DIEL fluctuations in physico - chemicals of glacial fed mountainous Goriganga river Water Temperature C Diddolved Oxygen (DO) mg/l Free CO2 mg/l pH Carbonate mg/l 9.0 8.4 Nil 8.14 1 13.0 9.6 Nil 7.5 2 13.0 11.6 Nil 7.72 2 12.5 10.0 Nil 8.29 2 10.0 9.6 Nil 8.43 1 8.5 7.2 Nil 8.87 1 Bicarbonate mg/l Carbonate mg/l Total … ______________ _________ ISSN 2231-606X Res. J. Chem. Sci. 60 it may be concluded that some physic -chemical parameters of glacial fed mountainous Goriganga river under investigation for DIEL fluctuations exhibit DIEL pattern of fluctuation to some extent which are controlled by complex interaction of various environm ental factors operating in the system e.g., light hours, photosynthetic activity, community respiration of aquatic biota present in the water. All these chemical parameters also control each other and in turn influence the DIEL pattern of plankton. I would like to acknowledge Uttarakhand council of Science and Technology (UCOST) for funding this research. I am also thankful to the Department of Zoology, Kumaun University, Soban Singh Jeena Campus Almora for Providing the laboratory facilities to conduct this study. At last but not least, I am also grateful to my revered Supervisor and Principal Investigator of UCOST research project Prof. S. S. Pathani for his affectionate and ardent help, continuous encouragement, inspiration, maste ry exposition of the complex problems and constructive criticism in the presentation and interpretation of the results reported herein and under whose guidance and supervision the present investigation was channelled to the goal of success. hi S.N., Tripathi G. and Tewari H.C., Fish and Fisheries Advacnes in limnology. (ed.) H.R. Singh. Narendra Publishing house, Delhi, 361-368, (1993) Ganpati S. V., Diurnal variations in dissolved gases, hydrogen ion concentration, some of the dissolved substances in three temporary rocky pools in stream bed at Hydrobiol., 7, 285-303, (1955) George M.G., Diurnal variations in two shallow ponds in ., 18, 265-273, (1961) Michael R.C., Diurnal variations in physic o-chemical factors and zooplankton in the surface layers of three fresh Indian J. Fish, 13(122), 48-82 (1970) chemicals of glacial fed mountainous Goriganga river Carbonate Bicarbonate mg/l Total alkalinity mg/l 129 130 136 138 128 130 142 144 137 138 125 126 Research Journal of Chemical Sciences ___________________________________________________________ ISSN 2231-606XVol. 4(8), 58-61, August (2014) Res. J. Chem. Sci. 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