Advanced Study on a Contribution to the Epipelic Algal Ecology in Lotic Ecosystem of Iraq

Abstract

The present project deals with epipelic algae on lotic ecosystems in iraq. Benthic diatoms in Al-Shamiyah river was the concern of the present study. The river is adistanse from industrial activities within southern reagion of raq . Four sites along the river were chosen for sampling during the period March 2013 to January 2014. A total of 173 species of epipelic diatoms were identified. Within which was pennate diatoms predominated and represented about 92.49% of the total diatoms. The total number of diatoms ranged between 185.1 – 422.34 Cell x10⁴/cm². Twelve most common identified diatom species were Achnanthes affinis Grunow, Achnanthes mintussima Küetzing, Cocconeis placentula var. euglypta (Ehr) Cleve, Cymbella affinis Küetzing, Diatoma vulgare Bory, Fragilaria capucina Desmazieres, Gomphonema angustatum var. productu Grun., Navicula. lanceolata (Ag.) Kuetzing, Navicula. radiosa Küetzing, Navicula viridula Küetzing, Nitzschia. palea [Kutz]. W. Smith, Nitzschia romana Grunow. The status of physicochemical conditions and epipelic algal community indicated that the water of the river was clean to moderate quality wise.