Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

STUDY OF ALGAL FLORA OF ALGAE-MOSS ASSOCIATION ON SELECTED TREE SPECIES EXISTING IN FOREST REGIONS OF VIKARABAD AND NIZAMABAD IN TELANGANA STATE, INDIA

Nirmala Babu Rao, Vanitha Bondugula, Shravya Goud Kola and Rajesh Goud Gajula

Abstract

Algal diversity in Telangana is an investigated area of research in comparison to higher plant diversity. With a view to provide base-line information about the algal diversity in the unique microhabitat on tree bark, algae-moss association on the bark of three tree species viz. Delonix regia, Melia azadirach and Acacia auriculiformis growing in the forest areas of Vikarabad and Nizamabad in Telangana State was studied. Out of three tree species studied, A. auriculiformis exhibited maximum algal diversity on its bark while Delonix regia showed least algal diversity. The algal flora on bark of the above three plants was dominated by Cyanophycean algae followed by a few members of Bacillariophyta and Chlorophyta. The observations of this investigation are discussed in the present paper.