Floristic Composition and Ecological Significance of Dominant Aquatic and Wetland Plant Families in Wardha District Reservoirs, Maharashtra

Abstract

The present study is an extensive assessment of the floristic composition, ecological distribution, life-form spectrum, and environmental importance of the macrophytes of aquatic and wetland environments in Wardha District, Maharashtra State, India. In-field surveys undertaken from 2022 to 2025, covering major aquatic habitats such as the Vena River (Hinganghat), Lal Nalla Dam (Samudrapur), Dham River, and Pulgaon River (Wardha), documented a unique collection of aquatic plants.

In total, 41 species of aquatic macrophytes distributed among 22 families were identified and systematically analyzed. According to the systematic analysis, Cyperaceae is the definite dominant family in the region (6 major species), followed by Asteraceae (5 species), Convolvulaceae (4 species), Poaceae (4 species), and Amaranthaceae (2 species). The morphological grouping into ecological eco-groups has confirmed a clear dominance of emergent hydrophytes (70.7%), alongside a lower presence of submerged (12.2%), free-floating (9.8%), and rooted floating-leaved (7.3%) hydrophytes.

Ecologically speaking, these aquatic and wetland plants play a critical role in regulating nutrient cycling, stabilizing substrates, serving as carbon sinks, and bioremediating domestic sewage and industrial waste. The current inventory is crucial for the primary dataset needed for the preservation of the wetlands, microclimate assessment, and management of freshwater resources in the Vidarbha Region