Contents: Preface. 1. Ganga down the ages. 2. The plant life. 3. The animal life. 4. Fish and fisheries. 5. Primary productivity and food chain. 6. Biological monitoring of water quality of Ganga. 7. The polluted holy river. 8. Ganga will continue to flow. References.

"The Living Ganga is an exhaustive account of Ganga ecosystem. The book is profusely illustrated with about 200 multicoloured attractive photographs of the living organisms including the algae, bacteria, fungi, fish and reptiles encountered in waters of Ganga. First chapter, Ganga down the ages deals with religious and cultural impact of Ganga on people of the Indian sub-continent. Reasons for ecological degradation of this highly respected river are also elaborated. Role of major tributaries in maintaining the ecological health and flow of the river is highlighted. Plant life in Ganga is presented in chapter-2. List of important phytoplankton and algae is given. The economically and ecologically important macrophytes found in marginal wates are also listed. Significant features of animal life are discussed in chapter-3. List of important zooplankton, insects, other invertebrates and vertebrates is presented in this chapter. Benthic fauna recorded from selected zones is also mentioned. Detailed account of Ganges dolphin (Platanista gangetica) is also given in this chapter. Different aspects of Ganga as a fish resource are presented in chapter-4. A comprehensive list of different types of fishing nets and gears used in various segments of Ganga is given in this chapter. Reasons for gradual fall in fish landing at various points are highlighted. The author suggests that fishing of juvenile and gravid fishes should be banned during summers and early monsoon. A list of fishes with their ecologial significance is also detailed in this chapter. Chapter-5 is devoted to an ecological aspect of great significance. It deals with primary productivity and food chain. Calorific value of important organisms involved in the the food chains is presented. On basis of gut contents some important food chains and food webs are depicted by attractive diagrams. In chapter-6 it is emphasized that biological monitoring would be the best way of evaluating the water quality of Ganga. Merits and demerits of various monitoring systems as well as that of different groups of aquatic organisms as monitors are discussed in this chapter.

"Chapter-7 is devoted to various factors which are responsible for polluting this holy river. The author has suggested that vigorous afforestation programmes all along the Ganga are essential for preventing pollution and for conserving the flora and fauna. Deterioration in water quality due to different types of industrial, sewage and other types of pollution are discused in details. The problem of accumulation of heavy metals in some aquatic animals is also discussed in this chapter. In the last chapter (chapter-8) the author has proposed a number of steps including modification in the pattern of agriculture, conservation of living diversity and intensification of socio-economic programmes as some of the essential steps for saving the Ganga basin from further ecological degradation and saving its people from poverty." (jacket)

[K.S. Bilgrami is Professor and Head of the Department of Botany, Bhagalpur University. His books include Fungi of India : List and References and Physiology of Fungi.]

Return to Algae & Aquatic Catalogue