Survey of freshwater cyanophyta from certain areas of northern region of Pakistan and Azad Kashmir

One hundred sixty-nine species of planktonic, epipelic, epipsammic, epiphytic, aerophytic and epilithic blue-green algae belonging to 2 classes, 4 orders, 9 families and 33 genera have been collected from various freshwater habitats in the districts of Jhang, Jhelum, Gujranwala, Sialkot, Lahore, Kasur, Sheikhupura, Sargodha, Khushab and Jauharabad in the province of the Punjab, as well as from N.W.F.P., Pakistan and Azad Kashmir. Members of the Nostocophyceae with 125 species were found to be more prevalent than those of the Chroocophyceae with 44 species. Oscillatoria with 45 species was the most commonly occurring genus. Greatest species diversity was exhibited by the collections made in Lahore and neighbouring areas. Heterotrichous species were only scarcely observed. Their growth was most abundant in the aquatic environment especially in planktonic state than in the terrestrial environment in benthic condition.