MACROZOOBENTHIC FAUNAL ANALYSIS OF NAWABGANJ BIRD SANCTUARY: IMPLICATIONS FOR WETLAND HEALTH

The study was conducted at a selected pond within Nawabganj Bird Sanctuary in Uttar Pradesh, focusing on the qualitative and quantitative analysis of macrozoobenthic diversity. A total of 38 genera were identified during the investigation, spanning the phyla Annelida, Arthropoda, and Mollusca. Among these, mollusks exhibited a particularly rich diversity, constituting approximately 43.63% of the total benthic population, as detailed in the provided table. Arthropods also displayed significant diversity, contributing around 28.90%, while annelids accounted for 29.39% of the total population. Overall, the benthic population density was estimated to be 1861 individuals per square meter. Mollusks made the highest contribution, with 15 genera and a population density of 812 individuals per square meter, followed by arthropods with 12 genera and 547 individuals per square meter, and annelids with 11 genera and 538 individuals per square meter