Language: English
Biodiversity and its conservation strategies are the apex concern of scientists in recent decades. Thus, the Botanical Survey of India has initiated to prepare the inventory of Indian algae at a national level. Volumes 1 and 2 in this series have been published in 2012. The present book deals with 212 taxa belonging to 46 genera and 19 families of Chlorophyta, 6 taxa belonging to 1 genus and 1 family of Xanthophyta, 211 taxa belonging to 50 genera and 13 families of Phaeophyta, 442 taxa belonging to 138 genera and 33 families of Rhodophyta, and 148 taxa belonging to 48 genera and 12 families of Cyanophyta. The primary purpose of this endeavor is to facilitate the taxonomy, diversity and identification of the various species of Indian marine algae, recorded from within the present territorial limits of the country.
Members of dinoflagellates and diatoms are not included in Algae of India, Volume 3 as being the major components of marine algal flora comprising of more than 2,000 taxa approximately. A separate treatment will be followed to prepare a checklist of diatoms (Bacillariophyta) and dinoflagellates (Dinophyta).
India has a coastline of ca. 7,500 km, rich in biological diversity. The floral resources of such habitats principally includes mostly macro-algae (also called as seaweeds) and other planktonic algae. The seaweeds are nowadays a subject of interest for natural scientist as well as industrialists, for their utilities in agriculture, cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries. The industrially important gelatinizing agent, agar-agar is extracted from some seaweeds commonly found on Indian coasts. The extracts from these plants are also useful as biofertilizers and in isolation of several bioactive compounds. These plants are directly consumed by humans in countries like Japan, China, Thailand, Korea and the UK. Algae of India, Volume 3 will be a source of all these economically important phyco-resources of India.
Foreword
Preface
1. Chlorophyta
2. Xanthophyta
3. Phaeophyta
4. Rhodophyta
5. Cyanophyta
Bibliography
Index to botanical names