Variation of Aulacoseira granulata as an eco-pollution indicator in subtropical large river Ganga in India: a multivariate analytical approach.

Aulacoseira granulata (Ehrenberg) Simonsen 1979 are considered as the eco-variable species which varies in density and diversity along with their morphological traits with the interference of environmental changes, so it is considered as one of the major ecological indicators of the water quality of lotic as well as lentic aquatic ecosystems. To assess major environmental factors which contribute to A. granulata bloom in the riverine system, a study was carried out from 2018 to 2019 comprising four different seasons at 11 sampling sites of river Ganga in the middle and lower stretch of river Ganga comprising freshwater and estuarine zones. For the analysis, different univariate, as well as multivariate, analytical tools such as principal component analysis (PCA) and water pollution index (WPI) were used. In the finding, it was observed that the average abundance of A. granulata was found maximum during the winter season. Among all the studied sites, the maximum average abundance was at Balagarh (71,576 cell l⁻¹) and minimum at Diamond Harbour (68 cell l⁻¹). The environmental factors such as dissolved oxygen, depth, and altitude showed a significant influence on the growth of A. granulata, while the water temperature negatively influenced the growth rate of A. granulata. The WPI showed a significantly negative correlation with cell length. Finally, the study concludes that the blooming of A. granulata is highly influenced by varied environmental conditions along the river Ganga, suggesting possible eutrophication. Therefore, a certain minimum flow and depth especially during the lean season have to be maintained for the sustenance of planktonic biota in the river Ganga. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]