Biodiversity

Biography

Biography: Rajan Kumar Gupta

Abstract

Comparatively speaking Antarctic land is almost lifeless, the Antarctic seas are among the most productive seas in the world. The interior of the continent is too hostile to sustain biological life, but a variety of life abounds its edges and adjacent waters. The species of the Polar regions are a few but the numbers of each are many. The present study was made with reference to algal floral diversity in the Shirmacher Oasis (SO) of the Antarctica. Thirty species of algae were recorded, predominantly belonging to blue-green algae (Cyanophyceae). Nitrogen fixing species both heterocystous and unicellular diazotrophs, contributed more than 50% of the counts and their dominance was greatest in the middle of the stream where nitrogen and other nutrients were low. Green algae and diatoms also contributed to the flora. The species composition varied between streams. Glacial and snow drift melt water species contained a distinctive community. Based on the diversity indices, these streams were classified into clusters.