Abstract
To assess phytoplankton species biodiversity in the Southern Gulf of Lake Tana, water samples were collected twice a month from eight sites for six months, from October 2010 to March to 2011. Data were analyzed and compared with one another using SPSS version 16. There were significant differences between months in phytoplankton species composition (p < 0.05). However, there was no significant difference among sites during the study period (p > 0.05). A total of 67 phytoplankton genera belonging to nine classes were recorded in the study area. The study showed phytoplankton species diversity is poor in the study area. Absence of significant differences among sites might be because there were similar human impacts in the gulf on a spatial base. In contrast to this, the significant differences among the six months might be due differences in nutrient inputs into the lake and also possibly due to human impact differences on temporal base. To conserve phytoplankton species composition so that it is sustainable at all times and sites, the local people in general and government in particular should avoid some activities on the gulf. Key words: Algal seasonality, cyanobacteria, Ethiopia, Lake Tana, temporal variation of phytoplankton.
Highlights
Microscopic phytoplankton accounts for approximately half the production of organic matter on Earth (Daniel et al, 2010)
There were no significant differences among the months of the study, but, there were significant variations among sites based on cell counts (p-value < 0.05)
In the southern gulf of Lake Tana, Xanthophyceae was the dominant class in November and it presence slowly decreased to April
Summary
Microscopic phytoplankton accounts for approximately half the production of organic matter on Earth (Daniel et al, 2010). According to Daniel et al (2010) many phytoplankton declines have occurred in tropical regions. Since the 1950s, scientists have recorded a decrease in zooplankton in the Californian current. Whether this steady decline is attributable to a decrease in primary production or an increase in predation on the zooplankton is not certain It is a contributor to food security, providing water resources for agriculture and livestock, and has a significant fishing industry. Staple crops such as rice, pulses and teff are grown in the watershed, which is home to Ethiopia’s unique cattle breed, the Fogera
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