Limnology: Current Perspectives

Limnology is conventionally divided into two groups-lentic, standing or still water habits and lotic or running water habitats. The lotic follows a gradient from springs to mountain brooks to streams to rivers. The lentic involves a gradient from lakes to ponds to bogs, swamps and marshes. F.A. Forel (1841-1912),professor in the University of Lausanne, Switzerland recognized the real biological opportunity in the lake investigations and by his work become the founder of modern Limnology. Chumly (1910) listed 116 limnological papers published by Forel during the period 1868-1909 which occupy a significant place in the history of limnology. Forel’s investigations focused on the lake Geneva. Now-a-day Limnology is defined as study of biological productivity of inland waters such as stagnant water bodies like lakes, ponds, pools, puddles, reservoirs, tanks etc and flowing waters such as rivers, tributaries, brooks, creeks, canals etc. It is a multifarious subject embracing such diverse fields on Physics, Chemistry, Geology, Zoology, Botany etc. Considering the plethora of problems, Department of Zoology, Yogeshwari Mahavidyalaya, Ambajogai in collaboration with Indian Association of Aquatic Biologists, Hyderabad organized a National Conference on Current Perspectives in Limnology, during 25th-26th December, 2009, at Ambajogai (Maharashtra).The conference had attracted participants from many parts of the country and also from abroad. This volume is based on the proceedings of the conference.It is hoped that the contents of this volume would provide a new orientation and impetus to freshwater fisheries development in India and offer better inputs for scientific management and utilization of the resources on a long term sustainable basis, contributing to food security, economic viability of operations, ecological and environmental safety. The present book is compendium of recent original research in the field of limnology. It is an assemblage of up-to-date information of rapid advances and developments taking place in the field of limnolgy. The book is a unique compilation of 40 chapters which discusses exhaustive studies on planktonology, physico-chemical environment, fisheries, toxicology, physiology etc. With its application oriented and interdisciplinary approach, the book would be immensely useful to students, teachers, researchers, scientists, policymakers, environmental lawyers and others interested in limnology.