Pranita Hajong, Kekhrieseno Khoubve and Papiya Ramanujam

Department of Botany, School of Biological Sciences, University of Science and Technology Meghalaya, Ri-Bhoi 793101 (India) Department of Botany, School of Life sciences, North Eastern Hill University, Shillong- 793022, Meghalaya (India) Corresponding author: Email: pranitahajong@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

The phytoplankton community structure and species diversity were studied from one lentic and two lotic water bodies from Kohima district of Nagaland. A total of 71 algal species were recorded from all the study sites. Species richness varied considerably in between lentic and lotic systems. Species richness and diversity was high in Thizama pond (43 species and 3.6 respectively) and low species richness and diversity were recorded from Phesama stream (26 species and 3.1 respectively). The distributional pattern of algal community in Thizama pond was dominated by Chlorophyceae member while in Phesama and Khuzama stream it was dominated by Bacillariophyceae member. The physico-chemical parameters like nitrate and phosphate were high in Phesama stream as compared to the other study sites. The dominant species were Cosmarium speciosum, Cosmarium subcrenatum, Cosmarium dubium, Closterium angustatum, Navicula rhynchocephala, Nitzschia linearis and Fragillaria crotonensis. Phytoplanktonic study is very important because they act as primary producers, food for variety of aquatic organisms and an efficient bioindicator for water quality.

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