M Zaheer Khan, Tanveer Jabeen, S Ali Ghalib, Saima Siddiqui, M Safdar Alvi, Iqbal Saeed Khan, Ghazala Yasmeen, Afsheen Zehra, Fozia Tabbassum, Babar Hussain, and Raheela Sharmeen
Keywords: Right bank outfall drain, biodiversity of Sindh, environmental effects, threatened species.
Abstract: In the present study, the effects of Right Bank Outfall Drain (RBOD) on the fauna of the wetlands were studied and inventories of the fauna and the flora were prepared. During the study period from 2007 – 2012, water samples taken from three sampling sites from the study areas viz., RBOD at Gharo, near Haleji Lake and near Keenjhar Lake were analyzed for physico-chemical parameters, pesticides and heavy metals. The mean salinity value of all sampling sites was recorded. RBOD at Gharo and RBOD near Keenjhar Lake showed high salinity value as per limit of World Health Organization standard. Water samples taken from RBOD near Keenjhar Lake showed pesticide OC compounds below the Maximum Acceptable Concentration (MAC). However, no serious adverse effects of environmental pollution were detected on the aquatic biodiversity except for some minor toxic effects due to the presence of heavy metals in water. Regarding biodiversity, two species of protozoans, 104 species of arthropods, 23 species of zooplanktons, 13 species of molluscs, 228 species of birds, 28 species of mammals, 31 species of reptiles, 2 species of amphibians and 59 species of fishes were recorded from the study areas. The biodiversity of RBOD is in decline mainly due to hunting, capturing, habitat destruction, cutting of trees, commercial fishing, anthropogenic activities and growing human population around the RBOD area.
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