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Abstract

In the current research work algal collection was made at different sites of River Naguman near its joining point with Sardaryab. Various sites expected to have rich algal flora across an area of 10 Km^sup 2^ were selected to obtain algal samples. A total of 38 species belonging to 16 genera of freshwater algae were collected and identified. Keys were constructed both at generic and specific levels for identifications and description. Out of these 16 genera Chlorophyta contributed 50%, Bacillariophyta 25%, Charophyta 6.25%, Xanthophyta 12.5% and Cyanophyta contributed 6.25% genera. Chlorophyceae were the most common represented by 60.53% species, Bacillariophyceae were next with 18.42% species, Charophyceae by 5.26%, Xanthophyceae by 5.26% and Cyanophyceae were represented by 10.53% species. The most dominant genus in terms of species was Spirogyra with eight species 21.1%. Cladophora and Oscillatoria were next dominants with 10.5% species. Rhizoclonium, Zygnema and Nitzschia were each represented by 7.9%. Closterium, Diatoma and Chara each contributed 5.3% species. All the remaining genera including Ulothrix, Mougeotia, Desmidium, Cyclotella, Tabellaria, Ophiocytium and Vaucheria each contributed 2.6% species.

Keywords: River Naguman; Algae; Chlorophyta; Bacillariophyta; Charophyta; Xanthophyta; Cyanophyta

Introduction

Algal collection was done in some selected sites in River Naguman, District Charsadda. District Charsadda lies between 34-03' and 34-38' north latitudes and 71-28' and 71-53' east longitudes. Charsadda is located in the west of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and is bounded by Malakand District on the north, district Mardan on the east, Nowshera and Peshawar districts on the south and Mohmand Agency of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas on the west. The district covers an area of 996 square kilometers.

Algae are chlorophyll bearing organisms which are thalliod in nature. Algae are divided into different groups on the basis of characteristic pigments and resulting colours of thalli. Brown algae are the largest type of algae. The brown or yellow-brown colour is due to fucoxanthin. Red algae often have brilliant colours due to phycoerythrin and phycocyanin. Green algae contain chlorophyll-a and chlorophyll-b in the same proportion as in higher plants [1]. Many species of algae are involved in algal blooms and these species change over time based on temperature, light, nutrients, and other factors [2]. According to [3] attached algae may also live as epiphytes on other living organisms including larger...

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