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Limnology and cyanobacterial diversity of high altitude lakes of Lahaul-Spiti in Himachal Pradesh, India

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Abstract

Limnological data of four high altitude lakes from the cold desert region of Himachal Pradesh, India, has been correlated with cyanobacterial diversity. Physico-chemical characteristics and nutrient contents of the studied lakes revealed that Sissu Lake is mesotrophic while Chandra Tal, Suraj Tal and Deepak Tal are ultra-oligotrophic. Based on morphology and 16S rRNA gene sequence, a total of 20 cyanobacterial species belonging to 11 genera were identified. Canonical correspondence analysis distinguished three groups of species with respect to their occurrence and nutrient/physical environment demand. The first group, which included Nostoc linckia, N. punctiforme, Nodularia sphaerocarpa, Geitlerinema acutissimum, Limnothrix redekii, Planktothrix agardhii and Plank. clathrata, was characteristic of water with high nutrient content and high temperature. The second group, including Gloeocapsopsis pleurocapsoides, Leptolyngbya antarctica, L. frigida, Pseudanabaena frigida and N. spongiaeforme, occurred in oligotrophic water with high pH and low temperature. The distribution of third group of Cyanobium parvum, Synechocystis pevalekii, L. benthonica, L. foveolarum, L. lurida, L. valderiana, Phormidium autumnale and P. chalybeum could not be associated with a particular environmental condition because of their presence in all sampling sites.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are thankful to Head, Department of Botany, Punjabi University, Patiala, and Coordinator, SAP-II of University Grant Commission, New Delhi, for laboratory facilities. Laboratory facilities provided by the Director, CSIR – Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology, Palampur, are also acknowledged. YS thanks the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi, for providing financial assistance in the form of Senior Research Fellowship.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Botany, Punjabi University, Patiala, 147 002, Punjab, India

    Y Singh, J I S Khattar & D P Singh

  2. Plant Pathology and Microbiology Laboratory, CSIR – Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology, Palampur, 176 061, Himachal Pradesh, India

    P Rahi & A Gulati

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[Singh Y, Khattar JIS, Singh DP, Rahi P and Gulati A 2014 Limnology and cyanobacterial diversity of high altitude lakes of Lahaul-Spiti in Himachal Pradesh, India. J. Biosci. 39 1–15] DOI 10.1007/s12038-014-9458-4

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Singh, Y., Khattar, J.I.S., Singh, D.P. et al. Limnology and cyanobacterial diversity of high altitude lakes of Lahaul-Spiti in Himachal Pradesh, India. J Biosci 39, 643–657 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12038-014-9458-4

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