ZOOPLANKTON DIVERSITY OF CAUVERY RIVER IN ERODE DISTRICT, TAMILNADU

The river Cauvery is the main water source for many places in Tamilnadu. It is highly polluted in Erode District due to improper management of textile effluents. This study was carried out to analyse the quality of the Cauvery River in Erode. Planktons are the basic food source of an aquatic ecosystem. Zooplankton diversity is one of the most important ecological indicators for the assessment of water quality. This study was designed to analyse the diversity of Zooplankton of the Cauvery River in Erode, relation to from the period of July to Nov 2018, and the results were recorded periodically. The results revealed that the diversity of Zooplanktons are great good indicators for the river ecosystem and influenced by the quality of river water. The Rotifers are the commonly observed and most dominant zooplankton species present in the Cauvery River. The variation in biodiversity of the water body can be related to water quality. Zooplanktons are also very useful as biological indicators of water quality.