Study on Unique Brackish Water Ecosystem of Lonar Crater Lake in India

摘要

Brackish Lonar Lake is one of the largest crater lakes in the world and situated in Buldhana District of Maharashtra State in India. Study was carried out to understand the unique ecosystem and potential uses of this lake. The sources of eutrophication of the lake were observed to be natural run-off water and a small patch of agriculture in the catchment area of the lake. Though it is highly saline and alkaline in nature, ground water table around lake was not observed to be deteriorated. Lonar Lake was observed to support dense bloom of phytoplankton dominated by Spirulina plantensis, a protein rich blue-green alga of commercial importance. Fish and zooplankton species were not recorded in the lake due to high salinity and low dissolved oxygen content. Physico-chemical characteristics of lake water responsible for the formation of blue-green algal bloom are discussed in this paper. Potential uses of Lonar Lake viz. tourism, exploitation of lake water for commercial production of single cell protein, algal biomass for production of Pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and biochemicals, irrigation of salt tolerant crops, grasses, fruit trees and production of potable water through reverse osmosis of lake water, have been delineated and discussed with the view of socio-economic development of the area.