Studies of high-altitude algae from some water bodies of Dzükou valley, Eastern Himalaya

Abstract

The present study was carried out at Dzükou valley, a high altitude region of Nagaland, Northeast India.Algal diversity was evaluated from 3 depression springs and 2 rivers. A total of 62 algal taxa belonging to41 genera and 8 classes were recorded. The class Baccillariophyceae (37 species) was the most dominantwhile the genus Eunotia (8 species) represented the maximum genera. Biodiversity indices such as Shannon–Wiener index (H2), Simpson’s diversity index (D) and Margalef richness (R) shows maximum diversityand richness in Depression Spring 2 followed by Depression Spring 1, Depression Spring 3, River 1 andRiver 2. Pielou’s index (J) depicted the highest evenness value from River 1. Palmer’s pollutionindex of allthe sites was found to be d”10 thus indicating no organic pollution. This study will provide a preliminaryscreening for algal community thriving at high altitude of Nagaland and coherently aids to the biodiversityrichness of the Indo-Burma hotspot.