COMPARATIVE ASSESSMENT ON THE ECOLOGICAL HEALTH OF FOUR DIFFERENT PONDS IN MANATHANA REGION OF KANNUR DISTRICT, INDIA

Freshwater is one of the basic needs of mankind and is essential for the existence of all forms of life. Ponds are an integral component of the hydrological system and perform diverse role in biosphere. Ponds are of immense significance to human civilization as they are sources of water for domestic, agriculture and industrial purposes etc. Now a days we can see that the world's pond ecosystem is in danger. It is threatened by many factors .These include a variety of anthropogenic activities, which entail urgent need for research and education programs to create awareness in the society for their protection and conservation. In the present study physico-chemical parameters of four different ponds in Manathana region of Peravoor panchayat, Kannur district in Kerala, India was determined. Manathana is located in Thalassery tehsil of Kannur district in Kerala, India. It is situated 50km away from sub-district headquarter Kannur and situated in Peravoor grama panchayat. More than six ponds are situated in Manathana village. The present study was conducted over the selected four ponds in Manathana village namely, Manathana pond, Karimbanackal pond, Kunden Temple pond and Madappurachal pond. The objectives of the study were to investigate the seasonal variations of physico-chemical parameters such as temperature, pH, transparency, salinity, ammonia, carbon dioxide, dissolved oxygen, Chemical Oxygen Demand. Water samples were collected during the year 2020-2021 from the study area and the physico-chemical parameters were analysed with respect to the seasons following standard methods. The major objective of this study was to collect information about pond water quality and importance for their conservation against anthropogenic activities. Because of their small size, ponds are much more vulnerable to degradation. Ecological assessment and monitoring of ponds are a major topic in their conservation and management. The improper management of water system causes serious problems in availability and quality of water, since water quality and human health are closely related, water analysis before usage is of prime importance. The study highlights the point that anthropogenic pressure makes responsible for causing destructive nature of pond ecosystems.