Phytoplankton as bioindicators of organic matter accumulation in rice-fish agro-ecosystems of Eastern Himalayas

Minam Siram; Rafia Farooquee; Prof. Debangshu Narayan Das

doi:10.21077/ijf.2026.73.2.174218-05

Authors

Minam Siram Rajiv Gandhi University, Rono Hills, Doimukh, Arunachal Pradesh https://orcid.org/0009-0003-1918-5332
Rafia Farooquee Rajiv Gandhi University, Rono Hills, Doimukh, Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh https://orcid.org/0009-0000-3560-5294
Prof. Debangshu Narayan Das Rajiv Gandhi Unuversity, Rono hills, Doimukh, Arunachal Pradesh https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5164-4322

https://doi.org/10.21077/ijf.2026.73.2.174218-05

Keywords:

Organic Matter Accumulation (OMA), Palmer index, Phytoplankton, Rice-Fish culture, Ziro valley.

Abstract

Rice-fish culture represents an ecologically sustainable farming system that integrates crop production with aquatic biodiversity. Within this system, phytoplankton act as the primary producers, which are highly responsive to environmental fluctuations and also serve as valuable bioindicators of water quality. The present study assessed phytoplankton abundance, diversity, and status of organic matter accumulation (OMA) in three experimental sites during the waterlogged phase of rice–fish fields in Ziro Valley, in the Eastern Himalayas. A total of 9,649 individuals per litre of phytoplankton were recorded, belonging to 73 genera, with Bacillariophyceae being the dominant class across all sites. Pearson correlation analysis revealed a significant positive relationship between turbidity and Shannon diversity, while total hardness was positively correlated with Pielou’s evenness. However, Shannon diversity exhibited a strong negative correlation with Simpson dominance, confirming that higher diversity corresponds with reduced dominance by a few taxa. Palmer pollution index (PPI) used for OMA assessment resulted in high OMA scores (26-27) across all three sites, coinciding with Shannon-Weiner diversity index that reflected high algal diversity comprising OMA-tolerant genera (25.93%, McNaughton Dominance Index Y≥0.02), indicating all three selected rice-fish fields of the Ziro valley experience high OMA.

Keywords: McNaughton dominance index, Palmer pollution index, Rice-fish culture, Ziro valley

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Author Biographies

Minam Siram, Rajiv Gandhi University, Rono Hills, Doimukh, Arunachal Pradesh

Department Of Zoology, Rajiv Gandhi University, Rono Hills, Doimukh, Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh
Rafia Farooquee, Rajiv Gandhi University, Rono Hills, Doimukh, Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh

Department of Zoology, Rajiv Gandhi University, Rono Hills, Doimukh, Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh
Prof. Debangshu Narayan Das, Rajiv Gandhi Unuversity, Rono hills, Doimukh, Arunachal Pradesh

Department of Zoology, Rajiv Gandhi university, Rono Hills, Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh

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