author(s)
Amritjot Kaur, SS Hundal and RK Aulakh

abstract
Zooplankton species are cosmopolitan in freshwater habitat but are also found in industrial and municipal waste- waters. The present study was carried out to determine the zooplankton diversity in the polluted water stretch of Buddha Nullah at Ludhiana. Zooplankton samples were collected from five different spots viz, Machhiwara, Budhewal, Jamalpur, Sunder Nagar and Walipur of Buddha Nullah, Ludhiana seasonally (April, June, July and December 2015), using zooplankton net having mesh size 60µm. Mainly two phyla were identified such as Rotifer and Crustacean, with rotifer comprising 3 species, cladocera 4 species and copepoda 4 species. The dominant zooplankton were present throughout the year. The seasonal zooplankton diversity showed that the pollution indicator Brachionus sp. of rotifera were found at polluted water spots i.e. Jamalpur, Sunder Nagar and Walipur (downstream) during summer months and crustaceans ( both copepods and cladocerans) recorded in both summer and winter seasons at non-polluted spots i.e. Machhiwara and Buddhewal (upstream). The pollution indicator species of rotifers at downstream spots describes the higher levels of organic pollution and eutrophication of Buddha Nullah. The pollution of Buddha Nullah emphasizes the fact that water is unfit for consumption and domestic use. The effect of water on human and domestic animals would also be harmful to health.