NE experts to study three fish species for climate vulnerability assessment
AT Photo
Imphal, March 12: Fisheries experts from four Northeastern states are planning to study three fish species that were selected for a climate vulnerability assessment for a productive conservational strategy to protect and understand their vulnerability in the region.
The three fish species are -Snow trout (Schizothorax richardsonii), Tor mahseer (Tor tor) and Tire track eel (Mastacembelus armatus).
Snow trout is selected for its limited range extension in the cold water regime, i.e., water temperature below 20 degrees Celsius and altitude above 900 m above sea level, while Tor mahseer because of its habitat between warm water and cold-water regime. Tire track eel (Mastacembelus armatus) for its wide extension of habitat range from warm water to cold water regime, according to Associate Professor Yumnam Lokeshwor Singh of Assam Don Bosco University (ADBU)’s Zoology Department.
“The selection depends on their distribution and adaptability in water temperature, which will provide an indicator as a reference point on which the modelling of climate change to assess the vulnerability of the environment can be analysed,” Lokeshwor said. “It will also help in finding the proper suitable habitat of fishes in Northeast India for their conservation and in the development of conservational strategies.”
The fisheries scientists from Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya and Nagaland will take up the initiative as per the discussion in the recently concluded GIZ,a German development agency sponsored 3-day workshop on Climate Vulnerability Assessment of the Selected Fish Species in Northeast India, at Assam Don Bosco University at Sonapur near Guwahati.
During the workshop, which aims to develop the skills of researchers in Northeast India in handling various application software and tools, the fisheries experts from NE states, West Bengal and Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) discussed various parameters for assessment of climate vulnerability and how to develop the model for better prediction and strategies for mitigation.
Even Dr Tyrell DeWeber from Potsdam Institute of Inland Fisheries, Germany, had inducted participants on various software applications and tools for Climate vulnerability assessment required for assessing the selected fish species, while ZSI scientist DR Lalit Kumar Sharma introduced the species distribution modelling theory, limitations of species distribution models for vulnerability assessment and importance of adaptive capacity.
"As the present trends of global climate change is concerned, those fish staying in the mountain streams like in Himalaya and Northeast India will face a big threat due to shifting habitats, drying of streams, pollution, and other secondary impacts coming from climate change. The findings of the study will help in developing a protocol for climate vulnerability assessment in NE India," says Lokeshwor, who is actively involved in fish discovery and conservation activities in the Northeast.
A change of 1 degree Celsius in the environment, particularly water temperature, has led to a lot of change in physiology, biology, and the reproductive cycle of fish, he added.
