Microbial diversity of Uttaranchal hot springs threatened

New Delhi, Oct 4 (UNI) Hot water springs, which are rich in microbial wealth, are facing alarming disturbance due to human activities in Uttaranchal Himalayas.

A study carried out on Soldhar and Ringigad, both located in the Garhwal region, showed that disturbances are caused by road construction, deposition of soil debris, domestic activities, and also natural phenomena like landslides.

The hot springs, which emerge spontaneously in Himalayas, have a microbial diversity which is in great danger today, according to a study carried out by Pankaj Trivedi, Bhavnesh Kumar and Anita Pandey of the GB Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and Development.

The results of the study have been published in National Academy of Science Letters.

Microorganisms are found in all possible locations ranging from those offering ideal conditions for growth and reproduction to those extreme environments.

''In these extreme environments, the microbial and geochemical interactions are tightly interwoven, providing many of the basic constituents for the primordial synthesis of organic molecules and for evolution of fundamental metabolic pressure,'' say the researchers.

Recent analysis of soil samples collected from the two hot springs in Garhwal yielded a total of 59 morphologically distinct microbial isolates.

However, both sides were disturbed now. Soldhar, situated near the roadside, has been affectdd due to the blasting process applied for road construction. It has resulted in decreasing the area of hot spring and also posed danger to the integrity of the mound.

The hot spring at Ringigad, situated below the roadside, got affected due to the deposition of huge amount of debris removed in road construction process.

Moreover, drill holes and wells, constructed for providing hot water to nearby villages have also reduced the geothermal actvity and discharge of hot water.

It has also been noticed that the main opening from the spring at Soldhar has split into four smaller channels since 2002.

The scientists have called for isolation, characterisation and preservation of the microbial diversity obtained from these two hot springs.

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