The influence of substrates and physicochemical factors on the composition of diatom assemblages in karst springs and their applicability in water-quality assessment.

摘要

The methodological standards of monitoring programs recommend collecting material from stones, but this community is often absent in slow-flowing waters, whereas a great number of localities do offer bryophytic material for sampling. In order to investigate whether the kind of substrate (epilithic or bryophytic) influences the diatom-based biomonitoring results the structure of diatom assemblages from 13 anthropogenically altered springs were investigated. To examine differences between diatom assemblages, the species richness of diatom assemblages, H鈥?(Shannon-Wiener diversity index), Trophic Diatom Index (TDI) and Specific Pollution sensitivity Index (SPI) were compared. The TDI and SPI differed significantly ( P=0.002 and P=0.004) between springs located in villages and springs away from villages, and did not differ significantly between epilithic and bryophytic samples ( P>0.05). No significant differences in species richness or the diversity index ( H鈥? ( P>0.05) were found between the epilithic and bryophytic diatom assemblages. This study suggests that both the kinds of substrates can be successfully used for diatom-based water-quality biomonitoring in mesotrophic and eutrophic environments. CT Use of algae for monitoring rivers. Proceedings of the 7th International Symposium, Luxembourg, 23-25 November 2009.