J. Bangladesh Soc. Agric. Sci. Technol., 16(1- 4):133-138, 2019 ISSN 1811-6221 Aquatic biodiversity of Charar Beel Gabtoli, Bogura N. A. Raushon 1 , M. G. S. Riar 1* , M. H. Rahman 2 , M. Al Mazed 1 and S. K. Paul 3 Abstract The study was conducted to evaluate the aquatic biodiversity of Charar Beel, fish species, non-piscine animal species and the aquatic vegetation. This Beel is riches with its biodiversity in the rainy season and most of them are consumed by the people of surrounding area. This is a shallow water body mostly, the highest depth being 5- 6 feet in the rainy season. A total 52 species belonging to 19 families under 9 orders were identified in this water body. In the present survey, non-piscine biodiversity of Charar Beel comprised 3 species of prawns, 3 species of mollusks, 2 species of arthropods, 2 species of amphibians and 2 species of reptiles. Only fish and prawn are consumed by local people and others are used as animal feed. The highest catch was found just after the rainy season that was in August and September. In this beel, eight species of aquatic vegetation were found in this survey. Some aquatic vegetations were edible among these species. The fisher men and other local ethnic people reported rapid and continuous degradation of the biodiversity and physical condition of this beel day by day. Keywords: Chand continuosarar Beel, fish biodiversity, non-piscine diversity, aquatic vegetation. Introduction The ‘Beel’ is a term, used for large surface water body that accumulates surface runoff water through internal drainage channel (Banglapedia, 2004). It is lake-like wetland with static water. Beel are formed by inundation of low lying lands during flooding, where some water gets trapped even after flood waters recede back from the flood plains. They mostly occur in between the rivers and canals. Gabtoli Upazila is an upazila of Bogura district in the Division of Rajshahi, Bangladesh. Charar Beel is situated at Gabtoli upazila in Bogura District. Charar Beel is a small Beel which is 16 km away from the Bogura town. Fishes and other aquatic resources are harvested by local people living in surrounding area named Rameswarpur, Naruimala, Gazira. The most dominant groups of fish in Charar Beel are carps, catfish, barbs, minnows, eels, perch, snakehead, clupeids. Charar Beel is very important wintering area for ducks, geese, shorebirds and heron. People living in villages around the Beel harvest fish almost round the year except the dry season. In the Charar Beel, fish culture is being practiced irregular basis by stocking the Beel with fish fingerlings composed of catla, mrigal, rui, sarputi, silver carp, grass carp, and other fishes. The present study was undertaken with the following objectives, to assess the present status of fish biodiversity of Charar Beel and to identify the aquatic vegetation of the Beel. Materials and Methods For the present study, the survey method was followed. The benefit of this method is that the investigation depends upon the memory of the people’s interview. Selection of Charar Beel At first, the authors selected Charar Beel in Gabtoli upazila under Bogura district. Charar Beel is occupied an area of 35 acre (during rainy season) which is 16 km far from the district town. The main source of water in this Beel is rainfall. The Beel area usually flooded every year. During dry season, the Beel is also used for the production of paddy and other crops. The local people living in surrounding villages of the Beel harvest fishes and other aquatic resources. For observation of biodiversity of Charar Beel, data were collected for six months from April to September, 2014. Data were collected fortnightly during the period of study. Preparation of the Survey Schedule and Questionnaires Survey and questionnaire preparation are indispensable part of a survey method. To get a overall scenario of the present status of biodiversity of Charar Beel were included in the questionnaire. ------------------------------------------------- 1 Freshwater Station, Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute, 2 Head Quarters, Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute, 3 Department of Fisheries, Bangamata Sheikh Fojilatunnesa Mujib Science and Technology University, *Corresponding author, E-mail: riarsajed@yahoo.com, Cell no. +8801722471855