Spatial and seasonal distribution of intertidal macrobenthos with their biomass and functional feeding guilds in the Naf River estuary,Bangladesh

The Naf River estuary is one of the most productive ecological ecosystems in Bangladesh providing an important feeding area for fishes and other aquatic animals.However,detailed information on macrobenthic communities is rarely available in this area.Our study focused on the seasonal and spatial variability of macrobenthic community structure with their biomass and functional guilds.In total,fortyseven taxa were identified under nine major groups and seven functional feeding guilds.Among macrobenthic taxa,Polychaeta was dominant in both seasons and all over the estuary contributing 60%of total benthos.The mean abundance of macrobenthos was higher during the pre-monsoon(2 972±1 994 inds./m^2)than the monsoon(1 572±361 inds./m^2)being maximum at mid-estuary region and minimum at upper and lower estuary regions.Of the diversity indices,density(P=0.01,P=0.003),the number of taxa(P=0.000 3,P=0.000 9)and Margalef′s Index(P=0.000 4,P=0.001)of macrobenthos were significantly different among stations and seasons.Shannon-Weiner index(P=0.009,P=0.12)and Pielou’s evenness index(P=0.03,P=0.14)had significant differences among stations but not among seasons.Cluster analysis suggested that distribution of macrofauna is strongly influenced by seasonality.Among the feeding types,carnivorous were found to be dominant at the upper and mid-estuarine regions,and herbivorous were at lower estuarine regions.Carnivorous species were dominant in both seasons.Omnivores have shown to be the most abundant feeding type in terms of biomass though herbivores were highest during monsoon.     

Hydrobiological variables as a regulatory factor on the abundance of heterotrophic flagellates in an urban pond

The seasonal abundance of flagellates has been monitored over a period of 1 year from December 2013 to November 2014(divided into 4 conjugative seasons namely winter,spring,summer,and autumn)in an experimental pond located in Rajshahi City Corporation area,Bangladesh.To our knowledge,this study is the fi rst to shed light on the occurrence and possible interrelationships among heterotrophic flagellates(HF),bacteria and zooplankton in Bangladesh and the result obtained by this study will be beneficial for similar water ecosystem all over the world.Standard methods were used to determine the prescribed hydrological parameters and zooplankton cell density.Maximum HF abundance(14 346.00 cells/mL)was found in the spring and the minimum(5 215.00 cells/mL)occurred in the summer.Inverse to HF,significantly(P<0.05)higher zooplankton abundance was found during the winter(782.00±47.62 cells/mL)and the lowest value was found in the autumn(448.00±39.15 cells/mL).Whereas similar to the HF,total bacterial abundance was significantly higher during the spring((2.25±1.05)×10^5 cells/mL)and lower in the summer((0.79±0.06)×10^5 cells/mL).Multivariate analyses(ANOSIM and MDS)have shown significant seasonal differences for cell numbers where MDS ordination plot and cluster analysis based on similarity in the genera abundance of HF revealed overlapping condition between winter and spring.Canonical correspondence analysis(CCA)also showed a distinct separation among the genera based on the prevailing hydrological situation and indicated that temperature,pH,BOD5,and NO3^-were the most important environmental variables in determining the observed variation in HF community structure.Among the biological factors,zooplankton showed negative but total bacteria were positively correlated with HF abundance.     

Linear genetic programming for prediction of circular pile scour

Genetic programming (GP) has nowadays attracted the attention of researchers in the prediction of hydraulic data. This study presents linear genetic programming (LGP), which is an extension to GP, as an alternative tool in the prediction of scour depth around a circular pile due to waves in medium dense silt and sand bed. Field measurements were used to develop LGP models. The proposed LGP models were compared with adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) model results. The predictions of LGP models were observed to be in good agreement with measured data, and quite better than ANFIS and regression-based equation of scour depth at circular piles. The results were tabulated in terms of statistical error measures and illustrated via scatter plots.     

Contribution of benthic microalgae to the whole water algal biomass and primary production in Suo Nada,the Seto Inland Sea,Japan

Biomass and primary productivity of benthic microalgae (BMA) and planktonic algae in Suo Nada, the western part of the Seto Inland Sea, Japan were compared in terms of unit area with regard to their seasonal and spatial distribution in 2002. Judging from light compensation depth and water depth, the southwestern part of Suo Nada was considered to be a potential habitat for BMA. Whereas the contribution of sedimented planktonic algae was high in biomass at the sediment surface, BMA was obviously significant both in biomass and primary production in the shallow southwestern part. However, the contribution of BMA to the total biomass in the entire water column was 7% in winter and 2% in summer. The primary production of BMA varied between 4.0 and 74.0 mg C m⁻² d⁻¹ in the southwestern part, accounting for 2–12% of the whole water column primary production. The ecological roles of BMA in the Suo Nada ecosystem are discussed, such as reduction of benthic nutrient flux, oxidation of surface sediments and feed for higher animals.     

Water and sediment quality parameters in the Chalan Beel,the largest wetland of Bangladesh

A study was conducted to investigate the status of the water and sediment quality in the Chalan Beel——a major fresh water fish reservoir of the country for a period of one year from July 2007 to June 2008. The mean values of water quality parameters(depth: 214.73±152.22 cm, temperature 27.68±4.26℃, transparency 123±82 cm, p H 9.7±0.47, total alkalinity 137±42 mg/L, conductivity 307±147 μs/cm, total dissolved solids 183±89 mg/L, ammonia-N 0.27±0.39 mg/L, nitrate-N 0.09±0.07 mg/L, phosphate-P 2.01±2.53 mg/L) and sediment quality parameters(p H 7.21±0.35, organic matter 2.59±0.52%, total nitrogen 0.09±0.04%, available phosphorus 5.4±3.6 Meq./100 g and exchangeable potassium 0.43±0.14 Meq./100 g) were within the range recommended for most of the inland fishes of Bangladesh. Although the water and sediment quality parameters except ammonia and phosphate are in the suitable range, the overall results suggest that better management techniques should be practiced in order to overcome the declining trend of associated aquatic life(fauna and flora) of this important fresh water body of Bangladesh.     

Groundwater scenario in Lakshadweep Islands

There are 36 islands in Lakshadweep archipelago, of which 10 are inhabited. The study focuses on the hydrogeological conditions prevailing in nine of these inhabited islands. Groundwater is the major source of fresh water and the well density is high in the range of 296 to 620 per km². The aspect ratios of these islands indicate that the shape of the islands have significant role on the stability of fresh water lens. The changes in water level do not reflect the real changes in the water resources as it is greatly influenced by tides. Moreover, the Ghyben-Herzberg relation in its ideal form does not hold good in these tiny oceanic islands. Hence, the rainfall recharge in the islands was assessed based on daily water budgeting. A relation between water surplus and annual rainfall could be established. This approach of recharge estimation could be applied for similar oceanic islands.     

The tectonic stress field and deformation pattern of northeast India,the Bengal basin and the Indo-Burma Ranges: A numerical approach

We performed numerical simulations to determine the contemporary maximum horizontal compressive stress (σ_Hmax) in the northeast India region, the Bengal basin (Bangladesh), and the adjoining Indo-Burma Ranges, with different boundary conditions. The regional tectonic stress was simulated using the finite element method (FEM) under the plane stress condition. Most of the study areas show NE–SW regional stress orientation, which is consistent with other stress indicators, such as earthquake focal mechanism solutions. The E–W trending Dauki fault, which separates the Shillong plateau to the north from the Bengal basin to the south, plays a major role in the stress distribution and regional deformation. This fault alone accommodates ～25% of the regional surface displacement rate of the study area. The fault pattern of the study area was also simulated using rheological parameters and the Mohr–Coulomb failure criterion. The simulated results reproduce the observed tectonic state of the area, including a strike-slip regime along the Dauki fault, in the southwestern part of the Bengal basin, and in the Tripura fold belt areas. The modeling indicates that the Brahmaputra valley to the north of the Shillong plateau and to the south of the Himalayan frontal thrust exhibits thrust/reverse faulting with a strike-slip component, and in the Indo-Burma Ranges, strike-slip faulting is predominant with a reverse fault component.