A lake is the landscape’s most beautiful and expressive feature. It is earth’s eye; looking into which the beholder measures the depth of his own nature. ~Henry David Thoreau Pure water is the world’s first and foremost medicine. ~Slovakian Proverb ASSESSING THE HEALTH OF 12 LAKES OF BENGALURU BY CONSIDERING THE MACROPHYTES AND SOME TERRESTRIAL ANGIOSPERMS IN AND AROUND THE LAKES PRATEEK BHAT.T** PRAMOD KASHYAP.C** RAGHAVENDRA.H.S** DR.G.RAVI* •Principal, Hymamshu Jyothi Kala Peetha Composite PU College, # 74, Hymamshu Shastry Road, IV Main, Malleswaram, Bangalore – 560 055; [email protected] ** Pre-university students, Hymamshu Jyothi Kala Peetha Composite PU College, # 74, Hymamshu Shastry Road, IV Main, Malleswaram, Bangalore – 560 055; www.hymamshu.org INTRODUCTION What are lake ecosystems? What are aquatic plants/hydrophytes/macrophytes? What are their roles? Is there a link between the hydrophytes and the lake water quality? Are they indicators of water quality? INTRODUCTION What are lake ecosystems? What are aquatic plants/hydrophytes/macrophytes? What are their roles? Is there a link between the hydrophytes and the lake water quality? Are they indicators of water quality? MOTIVATION  Dwindling of native hydrophytes  Increase in the non native /exotic/obnoxious weeds, eutrophication, pollution and encroachment of lakes.  Drastic change in the quality of water due to eutrophication and increased Invasive plants.  There is no prominent indexing system and for the indicator hydrophytes AGENDA To provide a preview and awareness of twelve lakes of Bengaluru, by considering and visualizing certain indicator hydrophytes and semi-aquatic species. Providing a rough information about the status of these lakes and also about considered macrophytes Making all common people to understand the importance and the existence of lakes. MATERIALS AND METHODS  Study Area: Bengaluru the capital of Karnataka State.  Altitude - 920 metres above mean sea level  Area - 741sq.kms between latitudes 12°39’00’’ to 13°13’00’’N and longitude 77°22’00’’ to 77°52’00’’E.  Time of visit - June , July 2014. ces.iisc.ernet.in COLLECTIONS  The 12 lakes of Bengaluru viz., Agara lake Begur lake Bellandur lake Benniganahalli lake Garudacharpalya lake Varthur lake Iblur lake Devasandra lake Madiwala lake Lalbagh lake Mahadevapura lake Seegehalli lake