A Study on Physico-Chemical Characteristics of Beeshazar Lake, Chitwan, Nepal

Abstract

Physico-chemical analysis of water and surface soil parameters and quantitative analysis of tree species of Beeshazar Lake System were performed to assess the general ecological status of the lake system. The values of certain water parameters(pH, conductivity, surface water temperature, free CO , total solids, GPP, chloride,orthophosphate, nitrate and total nitrogen) were observed highest in monsoon season;while total alkalinity, D.O. and transparency values were observed highest in winter season and total hardness value was observed highest in autumn season. The observedvalue of transparency, total nitrogen and orthophosphate ranked the lakeineutrophicto hypereutrophic state. The surface soil of the forest around Beeshazar Lake was observed acidic with sandy loam texture. The values of certain surface soil parameters(O.M., phosphorous and potassium) were observed highest in monsoon season; while soil conductivity, and total nitrogen values were observed highest in autumn season and soil pH value was observed highest in winter season. All together 11 tree species belonging to 9 families were recorded in the forest around the lake with the dominancy of Shorea robusta. The total density of the tree species recorded in the present study was 372.50 pl/ha, with total basal area of 28.3246 m 2 2 /ha., total volumeof225.6159 m 3 /ha and total above ground biomass of 196.6291 ton/ha. Keywords:Physico-chemical parameters,seasonal variation,water, surface soil, tree biomass