Phycolimnological Study of Some Artificial Fish Ponds within Erbil Province-KRI
SUMMARY
This thesis attempted to study a range of physical, chemical and biological water properties that affects on algal abundance and distribution in eight artificial fish ponds were selected in two sub-districts within Erbil province which are (Bahrka and Qushtapa). The study carried out from March to October 2018 with monthly sample collection. The physical analysis of water samples demonstrated the following results; both air and water temperatures showed wide variation over studied period that ranged from 17 to 45.1 ºC and 13 to 34.7 ºC respectively. The water turbidity revealed a significant difference (p<0.05) between studied sites and months, ranged from 1.5 to 199.6 NTU. The water electrical conductivity ranged from 240 to 2180 µS.cm-1, and total dissolved solid values were fluctuated between 110 and 1110 mg.L-1.
On the other hand, the results of the chemical parameters were as follow: The pH of the water samples showed alkaline nature that ranged from 7 to 9.7. While, total alkalinity, total acidity and total hardness were ranged from 47 to 165 mg CaCO3.L-1, 4 to 52 mg CaCO3.L-1, and 151 to 308 mg CaCO3.L-1 respectively.
Furthermore, results of cations and anions showed the following records: calcium, magnesium, sodium and potassium were ranged from 12.9 to 35.3 mg.L-1, 21 to 58 mg.L-1, 0.06 to 21.36 mg.L-1 and 0.01 to 2.37 mg.L-1 respectively. Chloride ranged between 4 mg.L-1 and 98 mg.L-1 and sulphate varied between 65 mg SO4.L-1 and 224 mg SO4.L-1.
The total phosphorus, nitrate, nitrite and ammonia were ranged from 0.1 to 25.5 mg.L-1, 1.24 to 34.18 mg.L-1, 0.02 to 5.8 mg.L-1 and 0.01 to 3.04 mg.L-1 respectively. The dissolved oxygen and five days biochemical oxygen demand values were ranged from 3.1 to 14 mg.L-1 and 0.8 to 9.1 mg.L-1 respectively.
Phycologically, a total of 115 algal species belong to 58 genera, 31 families, 19 orders, 9 classes and 8 divisions were identified. The dominant division was Chlorophyta which shared by 57 species (49.565%), followed by Cyanophyta with 31 species (26.956%), Euglenophyta with 19 species (16.521%), Chrysophyta with 4 species (3.478%) and each of Charophyta, Pyrrophyta, Rhodophyta and Chryptophyta was shared with one species (0.869%). The dominant genera were Scenedesmus, Cosmarium, Oscillatoria, Euglena, Trachelomonas and closterium.
Among the total identified algal species, 25 species were new records to Kurdistan and Iraqi algal flora including: Gloeocapsa alpine, Arthrospira jenneri, Cylindrospermum lichenforme, Homoeothrix fusca, Haematococcus pluvialis, Pectodictyon cubicum, Sphaerocystis planktonica, Tetraspora lacustris, Chlorococcam minutum, Oedogonium porrectum, Oedogonium mexicanum, Closterium praelongum var. brevius, Cosmarium tetragonum var. ornatum, Cosmarium zonatum, Mesoetanium caldariorum, Euglena adhaerens, Euglena contabrica, Euglena fusiformis, Lepocinclis acus, Phacus helicoides, Trachelomonas armata, Trachelomonas horrid, Ophiocytium cochleare, Pseudokephyrion undulatum and Ceratium furcoides.
