ALGAL FLORA OF RICE FIELDS AT EL-KHARGA OASIS, EGYPT

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Botany Department, Faculty of Science, Minia University, Minia 61519, Egypt

Abstract

Algal flora as well as the physicochemical characteristics of rice fields at El-Kharga Oasis was investigated. A total of 99 taxa were identified of which, 23 were Cyanophytes that belong to 11 genera; 19 Chlorophytes belonging to four genera; 52 Bacillariophytes belonging to 15 genera and five Euglenophytes belonging to three genera. Community structure differed among the studied sites diatoms being the most dominant. Taxa that attained high percent of frequency of occurrence (more than 66.6% i.e. being recorded four times during the study period) include; the blue green algae Osdcillatoria chlabea, O. mougeotii, O. principes, O. raoi, O. simplissima; the green algae Cosmarium lavae var. Lavae, C. pseudopyramidatum and the diatoms Anomoeoneis sphaerophora and Nitzschia thermalis.  Taxonomic description for the rarely recorded taxa to the algal flora of rice fields is given. The paper also includes illustrations of 78 recorded algal taxa presented in 6 plates.

Keywords

References

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