Biodiversity of Mothronwala Swamp, Doon Valley, Uttaranchal

Abstract

India is a hub of biodiversity, encompassing a wide spectrum of habitats from tropical rain forests to alpine vegetation and from temperate forests to coastal wetlands. Among the 25 hotspots India is considered as eighth hottest of hotspots extending from Western Ghats on one side and Eastern Himalayas on the other. India contributes significantly to this latitudinal biodiversity trend with mere 2.4% of the world's area. Wetlands are transitional zones between the terrestrial and aquatic environment. These habitats perform major ecological role in the biosphere. Many of the fossil fuels are known to be produced and preserved by the swampy environment of the carboniferous period. These are source, sinks and transformers of a multitude of chemicals, biological and genetic materials. These produce a rich collection of plants, many of which are potential for one, or more economic use these provide food, timbers, fuel, fodder and forage etc. India has a rich variety of wetlands habitats. Tropical swamp forests once formed an important part of vegetation and extended all along the base of Himalayas from Assam to Peshawar. The International Biological Program (IBP) states that: A wetland is an area dominated by specific herbaceous macrophytes, the production of which takes place predominantly in the aerial environment above the water level while the plants are supplied with amounts of water that would be excessive for most other higher plants bearing aerial shoots. Doon valley is known for its swamps. There was a time when low lying areas of the valley were having a chain of swamps but human interference once started in the name of Malarias Climate still persists. The trees were cut at that time and the openings created resulted in the extinction of most of the swamps. Wetlands are one of the most productive ecosystems and thus subjected to human greed which is yet another reason for their extinction. The Mothronwala swamp is a Hot Spot of biodiversity due to its topographic and edaphic variations. Unfortunately these habitats have not been explored from ecological point of view. The fresh water swamp of Mothronwala is under threat due to human interference and other anthropogenic activities. The present work was carried out to explore the biodiversity of the swamp and suggest conservation and management strategies. (The Journal of American Science. 2006;2(3):33-40).