Fish diversity with relation to water quality of Bhadra River of Western Ghats (INDIA)

Water quality assessment and freshwater fish diversity of Bhadra river, Western Ghats, Karnataka was examined. River water was clear except at one station (BV Site) with rocky and sandy substrate. The mean water quality of study sites were as following, pH 6.98, air temperature 22.66°C, water temperature 20.16°C, dissolved oxygen 8.74 mg/l, total hardness 27 mg/l, alkalinity 48 mg/l (as CaCO₃), conductivity 135.5 mhos/cm, COD (15.16 mg/l), and BOD (3.78 mg/l), respectively. Altogether, 56 species of fish representing 31 genera and 15 families were recorded. The Cyprinid family was dominant in the present study. Various diversity index packages have been used to assess the fish diversity. Fish diversity is also correlated with physicochemical variables.