Abstract
Epipsammic diatoms have important implications for ecosystem processes in lotic environments. Most of the studies on benthic diatoms concentrate on epilithic diatoms and very little is known about epipsammic diatoms. The objective of this study was to assess epipsammic diatom communities in streams in relation to environmental conditions. Epipsammic diatoms and water quality sampling was done at 7 sites during summer base flow period (2008). Forward stepwise multiple regression and canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) were used to determine environmental gradients along which species vary with physical and chemical variables. A total of 112 diatom species distributed among 44 genera were recorded. Altitude and the process of eutrophication played a significant role in structuring diatom communities in the study region.
Highlights
Lotic ecosystems present unique patterns of distribution of biological diversity among taxonomic groups and among regions (Allan and Flecker, 2003; Tundisi and Matsumura‐Tundisi, 2008)
The water quality generally tended to deteriorate downstream as the streams pass through the urban area due to discharge of treated and untreated effluent as well as other diffuse sources of pollution from the city
Low pollution tolerant species such as E. bilunaris, A. ambigua, A. granulata and C. naviculiformis were replaced by high pollution tolerant species such as G. parvulum, N. palea, N. praecipua, R. abbreviata and S. pupula
Summary
Lotic ecosystems present unique patterns of distribution of biological diversity among taxonomic groups and among regions (Allan and Flecker, 2003; Tundisi and Matsumura‐Tundisi, 2008). These patterns are responsive to the nature of physical and chemical characteristics of lotic environments. The integrity of biota inhabiting lotic ecosystems provides a direct, holistic and integrated measure of the integrity of the system as a whole (Karr, 1991). A fundamental part of biota of lotic ecosystems is the periphyton community. The main part of periphyton consists of diatoms which are various microscopic one-celled or colonial members of the algal division or phylum Bacillariophyta. Diatoms are the most species rich group of algae with tens of thousands of species (Mann, 1999; Moura et al, 2007). Round (1991) states that there are currently over 260 genera of living diatoms with over 100,000 species
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