Significance of cyanobacterial diversity in different ecological conditions of Meghalaya, India

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Published Jun 1, 2010
DOI: https://doi.org/10.31018/jans.v2i1.112

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Mayashree B Syiem
Department of Biochemistry, North Eastern Hill University, Shillong-793022 (Meghalaya), India
B Bashisha Nongbri
Department of Biochemistry, North Eastern Hill University, Shillong-793022 (Meghalaya), India
A Pinokiyo
Department of Biochemistry, North Eastern Hill University, Shillong-793022 (Meghalaya), India
Amrita Bhattacharjee
Department of Biochemistry, North Eastern Hill University, Shillong-793022 (Meghalaya), India
Natasha A Nongrum
Department of Biochemistry, North Eastern Hill University, Shillong-793022 (Meghalaya), India
Luxemburgh Hynniewta
Department of Biochemistry, North Eastern Hill University, Shillong-793022 (Meghalaya), India

Abstract

The present study deals with preliminary investigation of cyanobacterial diversity in Meghalaya. A total of 75 samples were collected from 10 different ecosystems and analyzed. 65 strains of cyanobacteria isolated under 11 genera include Nostoc, Anabaena, Calothrix, Cylindrospermum, Gleocapsa, Fischerella, Plectonema, Tolypothrix, Stigonema, Loriella and Westiellopsis. Nostoc was most abundant. Diversity analysis indicated maximum Shannon’s diversity index (H) in Mawlai. Highest Simpson’s diversity index was seen in Sung Valley (0.75). Both Shannon’s and Simpson’s diversity indices were lowest in Mairang. Richness was highest in Sung valley and Syntuksiar with both the sites supporting 17 strains each. Although, highest diversity was recorded from Mawlai, richness recorded at this site was only 11 strains thereby indicating richness need not be a function of diversity in this region. This study revealed the cyanobacterial strains, which can withstand acidic pH and prevail in the region. A study on colonization also identified some potential biofertilizer strains from the region such as Nostoc punctiforme, Nostoc muscurum and Anabaena azollae that could be effective in acidic crop fields.

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Keywords

Northeast India, Biodiversity hot spots, Cyanobacterial diversity, Shannon’s index, Simpson’s diversity index

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Issue
Vol 2 No 1 (2010)
Section
Research Articles

This work is licensed under Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) © Author (s)

How to Cite

Significance of cyanobacterial diversity in different ecological conditions of Meghalaya, India. (2010). Journal of Applied and Natural Science, 2(1), 134-139. https://doi.org/10.31018/jans.v2i1.112