African Journal of
Biotechnology

  • Abbreviation: Afr. J. Biotechnol.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 1684-5315
  • DOI: 10.5897/AJB
  • Start Year: 2002
  • Published Articles: 12485

Full Length Research Paper

Ecological assessment of Great Lota Lake (Turkey) on the base of diatom communities

  Rıdvan Erdal Sivaci1,  Sophia Barinova2,  Cüneyt Nadir Solak3  and Kadir Çobanoglu4
  1Department of Biology, Art and Science Faculty, Adiyaman University, Adiyaman 02000, Turkey.    2The Laboratory of Biodiversity and Ecology, the Institute of Evolution, University of Haifa, Mount Carmel, Haifa  31905  Israel.    3Department of Biology, Art and Science Faculty, Dumlupınar University, Kütahya, 43100, Turkey.   4Department of Biology, Art and Science Faculty, Dumlupınar University, Kütahya, 43100, Turkey.
Email: [email protected]; [email protected]

  •  Accepted: 17 January 2013
  •  Published: 30 January 2013

Abstract

 

The diatoms are very important component for aquatic ecosystems. Turkey has a rich lake potential and 
many of the lakes have high level of endemism. For this reason, the Great Lota Lake was investigated 
between October 2000 and October 2001 in sampling periods of approximately per 15 days from one 
station. Totally, 104 diatom taxa were identified and used for ecological analysis by statistic methods. 
Chronological analysis, indication in respect to temperature, habitat preferences, streaming and 
oxygenation, organic pollution by Pantle-Buck and Watanabe’s saprobity system, N-uptake metabolism, 
and trophic states were evaluated, and the aquatic ecosystem state index (WESI) was calculated. As a 
result, the diatoms in the lake preferred temperate, low saline and alkaline water. The saprobity is oligo- 
and betamesosaprobic when, the trophic state is eutrophic condition according to Van Dam’s system. 
 
Key words: Bio-indication, CCA, diatoms, Great Lota Lake, monitoring, organic pollution, Turkey.