PHYSICOCHEMISTRY AND CARBON CONTENT OF THE LOKTAK LAKE AND KEIBULLAMJAO NATIONAL PARK:A RENOWNED RAMSAR SITE OF MANIPUR, INDIA

Abstract

Despite their limited geographic extent, wetlands possess a remarkable capacity to sequester carbon from the atmosphere, storing it in vegetation, sediments, and phytoplankton. The hydrology of the water also exerts a significant influence on the vegetation of the wetland.To our knowledge, research on the relationship between water physicochemical characteristics and the carbon content of macrophytes in Loktak Lake and KeibulLamjao National Park remains scarce. In this study, seven physicochemical parameters of water, and the carbon content in macrophytes, were analysed across seven sampling sites: four located in Loktak Lake and three in KeibulLamjao National Park (KLNP).The result of the study reveals that dissolved oxygen (DO), turbidity, and carbon content in macrophytes, exhibited significant differences between Loktak Lake and KLNP (p< 0.05). Contrary, no significant differences were observed in pH, total dissolved solids, conductivity, temperature, and salinity between the two study sites (p > 0.05).In Loktak Lake, the Water Quality Index (WQI) ranged from 51.76 to 62.79, indicating poor water quality. In contrast, KLNP's WQI ranged from 28.29 to 36.95, suggesting good water quality.The average carbon content was 577.38 ± 58.84 gCm^-² in Loktak Lake and 1442.43 ± 276.85 gCm^-² in KeibulLamjao National Park (KLNP), with peak values observed during the monsoon and post-monsoon seasons in both locations. Our studies have revealed that the water quality of Loktak Lake is progressively declining, which poses a significant threat to the carbon sequestration capacity of the macrophytes. If wetlands are not adequately conserved and managed, they may become carbon sources, releasing the carbon they have accumulated over extended periods.

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