Taxonomic diversity and structure of phytoplankton in different-type lakes of Kulunda basin (Altai krai)

Abstract

In the phytoplankton of different-type lakes of Kulunda basin 87 species and 1 variety of algae from 6 systematic divisions were identified: Cyanobacteria, Bacillariophyta, Cryptophyta, Euglenophyta, Chlorophyta and Ochrophyta. The most diverse in the number of families, genera and species is the Cyanobacteria (35 species, or 40.2 % of the total number of species), as well as Chlorophyta (26, or 29.9 %), Bacillariophyta (17, or 19.5 %). Most of the taxa ranked above the family belong to Bacillariophyta (2 classes, 3 subclasses, 9 orders) and Chlorophyta (3 classes, 8 orders). The two divisions are not numerous, they have only 2 (Cryptophyta) and 3 (Ochrophyta) species. The largest family is Oscillatori-aceae with 4 genera and 13 species. The leading genera include 5 genera, and 3 of them are from Cyanobacteria, 1 genus each belong to Chlorophyta (Ulothrix) and Bacillariophyta (Nitzschia). According to the results of the study, the dependence of the number of species in phytoplankton on the average mineralization and Wolf Number (the measure of solar activity) for salt lakes in Kulunda basin was revealed.