Diversity And Distribution Of Cyanobacteria Species In Lake Chilwa Biosphere Reserve

Cyanobacteria are photosynthetic organisms found in various habitats. Lack of current data on diversity and distribution of cyanobacteria in Lake Chilwa prompted the need for this study. This study investigated the diversity and distribution of cyanobacteria in the Lake Chilwa Biosphere Reserve. Water samples containing cyanobacteria and other algae were collected from three sampling sites and these were the Typha marsh interior open lake and the lake shore. From 133 sampling points three cyanobacteria were identified using a microscope and an identification manual and these were OscillatoriaAnabaena and Spirulina in the order of abundance n 27 3 2. Other algal species were found and these were Spirogyra Chlamydomonas and Euglena n 21 5 4 respectively. The study showed dwindling levels of Spirulina abundance. Simpson-Yule and Berger-Parker indices showed similar levels of species diversity among the three sampled sites. Therefore Oscillatoria is the most abundant species of cyanobacteria with Spirulina as the least.