ABSTRACT
The Western Ghats being one of the hotspots of biodiversity, support numerous flora, fauna, and microbes. Cyanobacteria are the important components of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems; they play a major role in nutrient cycling. The habitats studied in the Western Ghats include soils, rocks, reservoirs, rivers, ponds, lakes, thermal springs, paddy fields, and polluted habitats spread out in five political states (Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu). Studies carried out in the Western Ghats revealed the highest species richness of cyanobacteria in the paddy fields followed by soils and polluted habitats. Polluted habitats possess higher cyanobacterial richness than other habitats probably due to nutrient enrichment or the capability of cyanobacteria to degrade pollutants. Cyanobacterial richness (160 spp.) in the Western Ghats although accounts for only 6% of the global estimate, they are up to 57% of the species reported from the Asian region (240 spp.). Because of the importance of cyanobacteria in nutrition, metabolites, bioactive compounds, and bioremediation, precise and explicit studies are warranted on the diversity and richness of cyanobacteria in the Western Ghats.
