Species composition and diversity of phytoplankton in some crenic habitats of district Anantnag, Kashmir

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Department of Environmental Science, University of Kashmir, Srinagar, India

Abstract

Seven crenic habitats from district Anantnag were evaluated for composition and diversity of phytoplankton over a period of one year extended from September 2010 to August 2011. A total of 67 species were recorded during the entire study which belonged to four classes of algae namely Chlorophyceae, Bacillariophyceae, Cyanophyceae and Euglenophyceae. Class Bacillariophyceae was found to be dominant throughout the study period. Utmost diverse genera encountered in the present study belonged to Nitzischia, Synedra and Oscillatoria. Amongst the reported taxa, Binucleara tatarana, Hormidium subtile, Cerotonis arcus, Diatomella balfouriana. Gommphonema gracile, Navicula sp. and Microspora amoena were found almost throughout the study period. Further, springs showed greater species richness, composition in summer and autumn seasons.

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