Chlorophyll a, Particulate Organic Carbon and Particulate Organic Nitrogen in Sessile Algal Communities of Nepalese Mountain Rivers

Amounts of chlorophyll a, particulate organic carbon and nitrogen of sessile algal communities in Nepalese mountain rivers were estimated. Samplings were performed at 34 points in the three main river systems of the east, middle and west Nepal from December 1978 to June 1979. Chlorophyll a amounts ranged from 1.3-189.6 mg·m-2 (average, 18.6). The ratio of particulate organic carbon (POC) to particulate organic nitrogen (PON) ranged from 5.8 to 22.1. High POC/PON ratios above 10 were obtained mainly from the samples of turbid rivers with water sources in the Inner Himalaya region.