Jornal de Ecossistema e Ecografia

Abstrato

Biochemical Composition of Selected Macrophytes of Dal Lake, Kashmir Himalaya

Zahoor Ahmad Rather and Ruqeya Nazir

The biochemical composition (total lipids, carbohydrate content and total protein content) of six macrophytes belonging to different life-form classes was investigated in the present study. In general, the concentration of total lipids, carbohydrates and total protein varied from1.30% of fresh weight to 5.87% of fresh weight, 10.24% of fresh weight to 19.13% of fresh weight and 0.94% of fresh weight to 2.41% of fresh weight respectively with highest values during summer months coinciding with their peak growth season. The analysis of biochemical composition of the macrophytes indicated the presence of species specificity as well as spatial and temporal variations. The finding of the present study suggests that these macrophytes can be used as a potential source of food and fodder for humans and bovine animals and as fertilizers for agriculture fields and flowering gardens.