BENTHIC FAUNA IN RELATION TO POLLUTION - A CASE-STUDY AT RIVER CHAMBAL NEAR KOTA IN CENTRAL INDIA

The Chambal river, subjected to industrial and sewage pollution, was s tudied with reference to the benthic fauna. Twenty seven taxa of benth ic fauna of four main groups were observed at the stretch of the river : Oligochaeta, Diptera, Mollusca and Insecta (''others''). It was note d that the pollution input zone shows less fauna. The analysis of vari ous physicochemical parameters showed an increase in pollution where d omestic and industrial effluent were added. Changes in the benthic com munity have been explained with the help of the Diversity Index. The s pecies diversity values showed a decrease from the prepollution point to the effluent discharge channel with an increase at the posteffluent point, indicating it to be a recovery zone. The coefficient of correl ation was assessed between different physicochemical and different gro ups of benthic fauna.