Periphyton Algae Research Articles

Heavy metal dynamics in the periphyton in small rivers of Kola Peninsula

The results of studies of heavy metal accumulation by periphyton algae in 12 rivers of Kola Peninsula are presented. The potentiality of the use of periphyton in heavy metal monitoring in water bodies is discussed.

Composition, Occurrences and Checklist of Periphyton Algae of Some Water Bodies Around Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria

This paper presents an investigation of the periphyton algae of five rivers around Benin City. The rivers studied were River Okhuaihe (station 1), River Ikpoba (station II), River Ossiomo, Ologbo station (station III), River Siluko (station IV) and River Ogba (station V). Samples were collected monthly for periphyton and physico-chemical analysis. Periphyton samples were collected by scraping the roots, leaves and stems of aquatic macrophytes, dead and felled logs submerged on the banks of the rivers as well as from rocks embedded in the substratum while water samples for physical and chemical parameters were collected directly into clear plastic containers. The rivers were acidic with a pH range of 5.10-6.31 and very low in nutrients. A total of 87 taxa of periphyton algae were identified and categorized into 4 divisions, 11 orders, 9 families and 44 genera. The distribution among the division was Chlorophyta 64.37%, Bacillariophyta 22.99%, Cyanophyta 5.75% and Euglenophyta 6.89%. The majority of the green periphyton algae were desmids. Key words : Periphyton, rivers, physico-chemical, taxa.

Hormetic Effects of Heavy Metals in Aquatic Snails: Is a Little Bit of Pollution Good?

Hormesis is the term to describe a stimulatory effects associated with a low dose of a potentially toxic substance or stress. We had anecdotal evidence of hormetic effects in some of our previous experiments concerning the influence of heavy metals on aquatic snail growth and recruitment. We therefore repeated a version of an earlier experiment but this time we expanded our low-dose treatments and increased our sample size. We also explored if metals had a hormetic effect on algae periphyton. We raised snails in outdoor mini-ecosystems containing lead, zinc, and cadmium-contaminated soil from an Environmental Protection Agency Superfund site in the Silver Valley of northern Idaho. The snails came from two sites. One population (Physella columbiana) has evolved for 120 years in the presence of heavy metals and one (Lymnaea palustris) has not. We found that P. columbiana exhibited hormesis with snails exposed to small amounts of metals exhibiting more reproduction and growth than snails not exposed to metals. Naturally occurring Oscillatoria algae also exhibited a hormetic effect of heavy metals but L. palustris did not display hormesis. Large doses negatively impacted all three species. Overall the levels of cadmium, lead, and zinc measured in the tissues of the snails were inversely correlated to the number of snails recruited into the tub populations. Only in comparisons of the lowest metal treatment to the control treatment is a positive effect detected. Indirect effects on competing species of snails, periphyton, and also fishermen, may be less favorable.

Periphyton Algae Communities of the Kanev Reservoir

Periphyton Algae Communities of the Kanev Reservoir

Structural Characteristics of Periphyton Algae Communities of Watercourses of the Bureya River Basin (Khabarovsk Region, Russian Federation)

Periphyton algae communities were studied in different sections of the Bureya river basin. The species composition of periphyton algae, their numbers and biomass, and also the complex of dominant species, were determined. The structural peculiarities of algae communities and the quantitative characteristics of their individual components were assessed on the basis of the obtained data.

Nutrient Optimization and Computerized Decision Support Program in Recirculating Integrated Aquaculture System

There are many research activities to improve sustainable aquaculture and agriculture production in the wide world. Sustainable aquaculture is referred to as production of aquatic commodities through farming activities with social, economic and environmental sustainability. A series of experiments were conducted to compare different inorganic and organic fertilizers to improve production of Macrobrachium rosenbergii and to make a decision support program in an artificial sustainable aquaculture-agriculture system. Simply, nutrient wastes from culture tanks were used to fertilize hydroponics or terrestrial plants production via irrigation water. The sustainability and success functioning of the whole system were involved to manage and optimize the use of supplemented minerals, diet and desirable environment for each compartment (prawn, plant and microorganisms).The first experiment was made to evaluate the tolerance of M. rosenbergii in different levels of inorganic fertilizer (EC) formulated in nutrient film technique (NFT) vegetable production system. Results of the first experiment indicated that desirable growth rate of M. rosenbergii was obtained using 0.1 to 0.5EC of supplemental liquid fertilizer. High concentration of potassium (117-177 mg l-1), ammonia (0.72-1.05 mg l-1) and copper (0.04-0.06 mg l-1) inhibited the growth rate of M. rosenbergii in integrated culture system. The second experiment was carried out to assess the effects of different nutrient and stocking density on different population of M. rosenbergii in polyculture system. A different range of inorganic and organic fertilizer was used in the polyculture of plant and freshwater prawn species. Overall results indicated that essential concentration of nutrients, source and M. rosenbergii stocking density have played a major role in the effectiveness of suitable range of minerals in integrated production system. The results also demonstrated that 0.5 EC liquid inorganic fertilizer was not suitable to provide optimum nutrients and chicken manure is still an important fertilizer even in indoor integrated culture system. Finally, a comparative study was conducted to evaluate the optimum level of chicken manure and formulated inorganic nutrients in an artificial integrated culture system. The results indicated that high density culture of M. rosenbergii juveniles (380-400 individual m-2) in fiberglass tanks is possible by the installation of artificial substrate and controlling of nutrient concentration in system. Moreover the addition of aeration tank significantly improved the quality of water (DO and pH) and freshwater prawn growth (1343.0 g/tank) in recirculated polyculture system. The application of 70 g m-3 chicken manure alone encouraged growth of benthic and periphyton algae in culture tanks. The overall observation illustrated the desirable combination of supplemental liquid fertilizer and chicken manure is essential to obtain best growth for each compartment in sustainable polyculture system. A visual expert program (IAAS) was adopted to improve managing and develop technical operation in an artificial integrated culture system. The operation of the polyculture system required the specific knowledge, developing and application of computer systems to excellent operation, control of water quality variables, dissolved nutrients and feed to avoid the production of toxic substance and increase self efficiency and sustainability of the culture system. The accuracy of IAAS expert program was evaluated by polynomial and linear regression techniques through additional experiment. The comparison of results (yield and survival) in expert and real culture system represents higher variation of survival, prawn and plant yields in abnormal culture system. Moreover the evaluation processes demonstrated succeed performance of IAAS expert program in prediction results of optimized integrated culture system (with low variation). In aquaculture, the success estimation of production depends largely on the state of physical and chemical parameters which define optimal culture conditions.

Species Composition of Periphyton Algae of the Cooling Pond of the Chernobyl NPS and Their Ecological Characteristics

Species Composition of Periphyton Algae of the Cooling Pond of the Chernobyl NPS and Their Ecological Characteristics

TROPHIC DIATOM INDICES (TDI) AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF SITE-SPECIFIC NUTRIENT CRITERIA

In 2004 a four year study performed for NJDEP by the Patrick Center for Environmental Research showed that trophic diatom inference models could be used effectively to assess late-summer nutrient concentrations and benthic algal responses specific to different physiographic provinces in the state. Diatoms are widely recognized and used as indicators of river and stream water quality because benthic diatom species composition responds directly to nutrients and can be a more stable indicator of tropic state than measurements of nutrient concentrations or algal biomass (e.g., chlorophyll a). Objectives of the study were to: 1) develop New Jersey specific field and lab protocols for characterizing eutrophication (nutrient concentrations) in streams using attached periphyton algae, 2) assess the relationships between stressors (i.e., total phosphorus/nitrogen) and overt signs of eutrophication (e.g., algae), and 3) develop biological metrics as potential biocriteria (e.g., diatom community structure and trophic diatom indices - TDI). We chose weighted average inference modeling as our approach because it incorporated the most accurate method for quantifying species response to nutrients. We used nutrient concentrations inferred from the models in two ways: 1) directly, by using the inferred diatom values as estimates of the nutrient concentrations prevailing at the site during the time the algal assemblages were developing, and 2) indirectly, by rescaling the inferred concentrations from 0-100 to create trophic diatom indices (TDI) more easily interpretable by non-specialists. In the current study in 2004 we performed a pilot study to test the TDIs above and below two Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) facilities in New Jersey to evaluate their usefulness as a stressor-response model necessary to generate site-specific biocriteria for nutrients. We conclude that the TP and TN diatom inference models and indices are promising tools to monitor and infer nutrient conditions but that further study is necessary to adequately evaluate their effectiveness for routine use as part of a regulatory program. Diatom community composition differed among sites, and the differences can be explained by variation in nutrient concentrations. Diatom indices indicated relatively high nutrient conditions at all sampling sites, and between-site differences were consistent with measured values. Both the diatom indicators of enrichment and the measured nutrient concentrations showed a marked increase below one STP, but not below the other. This may be because the discharge from one plant was much greater than the other, one-time sampling did not

Blue-green Periphyton Algae of the Cooling Pond of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Station Until and After the Accident

Blue-green Periphyton Algae of the Cooling Pond of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Station Until and After the Accident

Periphyton algae in the cooling pond of the Chernobyl NPS (8 years after the accident)

Periphyton algae in the cooling pond of the Chernobyl NPS (8 years after the accident)

Studies on periphyton algae in the petroleum oil spillages area of the Niger Delta aquatic system

Studies on periphyton algae in the petroleum oil spillages area of the Niger Delta aquatic system

Short-term uptake of heavy metals by periphyton algae

The utilization of periphyton activity for the removal of heavy metals from enriched small streams has been examined. By means of short-term batch laboratory experiments the courses of metal uptake have been studied. For uptake study naturally growing periphyton community and periphytic filamentous algae Cladophora glomerata and Oedogonium rivulare have been used. Uptakes of nine heavy metals — Pb, Cd, Cu, Co, Cr, Ni, Zn, Fe and M n — have been determined during four hours' exposure. In addition the influence of humic substances on heavy metals uptake has been determined.

Periphyton algae and bacteria from springs of Levadia Boeotia, Greece

Wild and cultured species of periphyton from Levadia springs, Greece were studied. A total of 102 species of algae and bacteria were divided into 4 Bacteriophyta, 32 Cyanophyta and 66 Bacillariophyta. Descriptions and taxonomic comments on all taxa found as well as an account of previous studies on bacteria and algae from running waters in Greece are presented. Eleven diatoms and four blue-green algae are first records for Greece.

THE RELATION OF PERIPHYTIC AND PLANKTONIC ALGAL GROWTH IN AN ESTUARY TO HYDROGRAPHIC FACTORS

The seasonal periodicity of periphyton growth in the Duwamish estuary (Washington) is compared with that of phytoplankton and lends support to a previous conclusion that hydrographic conditions determine the timing of phytoplankton blooms despite high concentrations of dissolved nitrogen and phosphorus. Accumulation of periphyton on substrates increased in June and July to around 10 µg Chl a cm−2 week−1 and is related to incident light; conversely, phytoplankton blooms were delayed until August and September when hydrographic conditions were optimum for biomass accumulations of from 30–70 µg Chl a/liter.Maximum growth of periphytic and planktonic algae occurred at the same location in the estuary. This similarity in spatial distribution is not directly related to hydrographic conditions since the periphyton algae are sessile and more resistant to washout. The water in this section of the estuary presumably contained a more adequate supply of one or more limiting nutrients than water from adjacent locations.

Responses of a Marl Lake to Fertilization

A shallow marl lake was fertilized during three consecutive years with inorganic fertilizer. Application was made in midsummer and evaluation of its effect was made by comparing data gathered in a pretreatment and a posttreatment period each year. Fertilization brought about an immediate increase in suspended solids and a decrease in transparency. These changes appeared to be caused by a coalescence of suspended marl rather than by chemical precipitation or by an increase in phytoplankton. A large fraction of the added phosphorus disappeared from the water along with the suspended marl. When solids were separated from the water with a centrifuge, we were unable to detect an increase in the organic fraction of the solids after fertilization. However, during the third year of the study a small increase was noted when a Millipore filter was employed. Inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus remained in the water for a very short period; however, an organic phosphorus fraction persisted 25 days or more. In 1954 and 1955 we were unable to detect living phytoplankton cells in solids separated from the water either before or after fertilization when a Foerst centrifuge was used to separate suspended matter. In 1956 a sparse flora of nannoplankton was concentrated from the water using a Millipore filter, and the number of nannoplankton genera increased following fertilization. This response was weak and did not affect the transparency of the lake water. Fertilization brought about a well-marked increase in the production of periphyton algae in all three years. The data suggest that benthic algae are more effective than planktonic algae in utilizing nutrients added to marl lakes.