Veli-Akkulam Lake

Researchers from the University of Kerala recently presented a study at the Estuarine & Coastal Sciences Association (ECSA) 60 conference in Hangzhou, revealing significant ecological decline in Veli-Akkulam Lake. Over 30 years, non-native species have invaded the lake, altering its nutrient flow and disrupting the food web. Using the Ecopath Model, the study highlights a major decline in native species like prawns and cichlids, while invasive species have surged. Initially, in the 1990s, the lake was rich in native species, but now, its ecosystem is severely impacted. Veli-Akkulam Lake, a 20-acre freshwater lake in Kerala, is fed by the Veli Rive