DIVERSITY AND SEASONAL VARIATIONS OF FRESH WATER ALGAE IN LUND KHWAR, DISTRICT MARDAN, KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA PAKISTAN

In the present study, 29 species belonging to three divisions (Chlorophyta, Charophyta and Cyanophyta), three classes (Chlorophyceae, Charophyceae and Cyanophyceae), seven orders, 10 families and 13 genera of algae were identified. Among these species 24 (78.57%) belong to Chlorophyta, four (13.7%) to Charophyta and one species i.e. Oscillatoria belongs to Cyanophyta. Spirogyra was the leading genus with nine species followed by Nitella with three species, Cladophora, Chlamydomonas, Ulothrix were represented by two species each. The rest of the genera including Chaetophora, Hydrodictyon, Oedogonium, Tetraedron, Oscillatoria and Chara were represented by single species each. The abundance of algal species was recorded during summer season at temperature of 41°C while the gradual diminishing was noted during winter at 22°C. Highest percentage of species was present where water depth was more. The algal distribution showed that there were diverse groups of algae growing in various microhabitats in the study area.