A Preliminary Investigation on the Physico-chemical Features of Certain Pond Ecosystems in Kannur District, Kerala

Fresh water resources like ponds consisting of a wide variety of aquatic plants and animals interacting with each other and with the surrounding aquatic conditions is threatened due to some natural causes and anthropogenic influences. The present work was designed to observe the seasonal variations of physico-chemical parameters of three different ponds in Kannur district. In the proposed work, water samples were collected from three different ponds of Naduvil region in different seasons. Mamballam, Chemberi, Pulikurumba are the three places situated in Naduvil region, Kannur district (latitude:12.1431°or12°8´35”N Longitude:75.5121°or75°30´44” East). Temperature, pH, transparency, ammonia, hardness, primary productivity, carbon dioxide chemical oxygen demand, biological oxygen demand, dissolved oxygen was analyzed during the study. Maximum hardness was found in Chemberi during pre-monsoon season and minimum hardness was observed in Mamballam of post-monsoon season. In the study, all sites in exhibited a higher ammonia content that ranged from 8.5 to 34mg/l. The study showed that the Chemical Oxygen Demand value exceeds the desirable limit. This study shows that several water quality parameters showed high variations from their normal level. This is due to the improper conservation of pond ecosystems. So proper conservation will help in maintaining a sustainable ecosystem.