Ichthyofauna of the Padma River in the Area of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (People’s Republic of Bangladesh)

• Published in: Journal of ichthyology 2022-10, Vol.62 (5), p.786-796
• Main Authors: Sorokin, Yu. V., Panov, A. V.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aquatic ecosystems; Biodiversity; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Ecological monitoring; Environmental monitoring; Fish; Ichthyofauna; Life Sciences; Monitoring systems; Nuclear power plants; Rare species; Rivers; Siluriformes; Zoology
• ISSN: 0032-9452; 1555-6425
• DOI: 10.1134/S0032945222050186

The characteristics of the ichthyofauna biodiversity of the Padma River (Ganges) in Bangladesh in the area of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) is presented based on the research within the framework of the established in 2014–2017 network of ecological monitoring of aquatic ecosystems. In the Padma, 65 fish species from 12 orders and 22 families have been identified. The most representative order of the ichthyofauna is the catfishes (Siluriformes), which include 22 species from six families. The second largest order is Cypriniformes, with 16 species from the family Cyprinidae. The ichthyofauna of the Padma River has been studied in different periods of the year, considering the climatic features of the region. During the monsoon season, during the flood of the river, the taxonomic composition of fish increases up to 51 species, while in the low-water period it decreases to 29. The lowest number of species was recorded in the dry periods of the year (23–26 species). The average weight of the studied fish species varies from 0.7 ± 0.5 to 1053 ± 689 g, and the length varies from 4.0 ± 0.9 to 45.5 ± 14.1 cm. In the studied section of the river, we recorded 17 rare and minor fish species, included in the Red Data Book of Bangladesh. The importance of controlling the biodiversity of the ichthyofauna of the Padma River as an integral part of the environmental monitoring system for the Rooppur NPP location area is noted.