Abstract
AbstractThe presented research was conducted in 2018–2019 in the Peshawar Valley, Pakistan, to study for the first time the effect of water quality on the spatial distribution of charophytes. A total of six taxa of charophytes were found at 41 sites in the Peshawar Valley along the banks of seven rivers, 16 streams and two wetlands:Chara brauniiC.C.Gmelin,C. connivensSalzmann ex A. Braun,C. contrariaA. Braun ex Kützing,C. globularisThuiller,C. vulgarisLinnaeus, andNitellopsis obtusa(Desvaux) J. Groves.Chara vulgariswas the most abundant species, followed byC. globularis, andC. contraria. Water pH, electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), salinity and dissolved oxygen (DO) were within the permissible limits for Pakistan, while water temperature, oxidation reduction potential (ORP) and resistivity showed deviations. Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) revealed that DO affectedChara vulgaris,pH and resistivity affectedC. braunii, C. connivensandC. globularis, temperature and ORP affectedC. contrariaandNitellopsis obtusa.Furthermore, CCA showed that TDS, EC, and salinity had no effect on the spatial distribution ofChara contraria,C. vulgarisandNitellopsis obtusa.Chara contrariaandNitellopsis obtusashould be protected under VU (Vulnerable) status (IUCN) along with their habitats.
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