Vegetos
(An International Journal of Plant Research & Biotechnology)
Diversity and ecological assessment of aquatic algal species of river Varuna in Varanasi
*Article not assigned to an issue yet
Sharma Abhinav, Thakur Akash, Yadav Priya, Singh Rahul Prasad, Sharma Himani, Tyagi Ashutosh, Chaudhari Mukul, Gupta Rajan Kumar, Thakur Akash, Yadav Priya
Research Articles | Published: 17 February, 2026
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Keywords: Algal diversity, Varuna river, Diatoms, Canonical correspondence analysis
Abstract
This study investigates the algal diversity and ecological dynamics of the Varuna River in Varanasi during the pre-monsoon season (April 2025). Algal samples were collected from four sampling sites. A total of 26 species were identified, belonging to 4 phylum, 9 classes, 15 orders, 19 families, and 22 genera. Diatoms were the most dominant group, accounting for 46% of the total diversity, with Gomphonema, Navicula, and Cocconeis as the most species-rich genera. Stephanocyclus meneghinianus was recorded for the first time from India in the present study. Physico-chemical parameters viz. pH, electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), salinity, and dissolved oxygen (DO) varied across sampling sites and influenced algal species distribution. To study community structure, diversity indices were employed and multivariate approach using Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) was conducted. These findings provide valuable insight to understand urban river ecology with special reference to pollution status using algal species.
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Author Information
Laboratory of Algal Research, Department of Botany, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India