Macrozoobenthic Taxocoenosis in a Cultivators' Rice Field of North West Kashmir, ( J and K) India

This paper presents the attempt to investigate the community composition and density of macrozoobenthos in a cultivator's field. The study carried out in the rice fields of north-western district Kupwara(34°02'N; 74°16E') of Kashmir province revealed the presence of 7 taxa of macrozoobenthos belonging to Annelida, Arthropoda and Mollusca. Phylum Annelida formed the most dominant group represented by 5 taxa.Diversity calculated by employing Simpsons' Index (D), Simpsons' Index of Diversity (1-D), Simpsons' Reciprocal Index (1/D ), Shannon-Weiner Index (H'), Margalef Richness Index (d) Evenness Index (e) indicated low but significant assemblage of zoobenthos. Agronomic practices seemed to influence the occurrence anddistribution of various benthic organisms to a greater degree. The results pressed the need for recognizing andpreserving rice fields as potential habitats for organisms that have successfully adapted to the highly manipulated and eutrophic conditions of rice paddies