ENERGY CONTENTS OF FRESH WATER SPONGES IN REWALSAR LAKE, HIMACHAL PRADESH

Sponges play very significant role in the functioning of lake ecosystems by utilizing and conserving the dissolved oxygen in their bodies for their metabolic activities, Thus, it is an essential step to measure the trophic structure in terms of energy fixed per unit area per uit time. Tlierefore, in the present communication an attempt has been made to estimate the energy contents of fresh water sponges particularly of Spongilla species of sub class-Manaxonda The energy values of some Indian and exotic major carps at their prespawning stages of maturity and common fish food organisms were given by Jana & Pal (1981). The purpose of present investigation is to provide relevant data on total energy contents of Spongilla sp. of family Spongilladae rarely found attached to the Phragmires in Rewalsar lake of Himachal Pradesh.