Community Metabolism in Tropical Undrainable Rural Fish Ponds

The process of community metabolism including primary production and community respiration in eighteen undrainable rural fish ponds in India was quantified using the diurnal oxygen curve method. A considerable portion of the gross primary production that was in the moderate ranges, was consumed for the community respiration. Negative, and low positive values of net primary production indicated the significance of the allochthonous supply in these organic enriched systems. The low values of sediment respiration signified the reduced condition of stagnating sediment acting as energy trap.