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Impact of plastic pollution on fresh water biota of water streams around the picnic spots of Hilly region in the Swat Valley Pakistan
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Plastic bottle pollution in Swat Valley freshwater streams is disrupting aquatic food chains, causing fish to emigrate from polluted picnic areas toward cleaner habitats and increasing heavy metal concentrations in previously pure water from near zero to 13% during winter 2019–2020. This case study illustrates how visible plastic debris in freshwater ecosystems triggers measurable ecological disruption, with microplastic fragmentation from these bottles posing long-term contamination risks.
The presence of Blue water Ecosystem in the upper region of Swat has a diverse biomass of different species at different tropic levels. Among species involved in the food chain of these freshwater systems are Navicula subtilissima, Zygnema Cruciatum (Producer), Lathocerus americanus and other aquatic insects (Primary Consumer) of low temperature and Schizothorax plagiostomus (Secondary consumer). There is a drastic imbalance and disturbance in their communities due to water pollution. Plastic bottles are on top among the pollutants which are thrown by visitors especially at the picnic spots around these water bodies. Fish species have been observed to emigrate from the picnic spots towards deep, speedy and clean habitats in these aquatic ecosystems. Decomposition rate of these bottles is negligible and hence affecting aquatic fauna and flora Food in a very negative manner. Count of heavy metals in neutral and pure water remains below 0%. Due to such pollution this figure recorded in winter 2019-2020 was 13 % with an increasing trend. Regulatory authorities must pay attention to this issue on priority base and initiate remedial as well as preventive measures for the water of uphill beautiful streams and lakes.
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