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Tewodros and Afework

Greener Journal of  Biological Sciences Vol. 4 (2), pp. 069-076, March 2014.

© 2014 Authors

Research Paper

Manuscript Number: 1210131023

Phytoplankton Composition and Physico-Chemical Parameters Study in Water Bodies of Abijata-Shalla Lakes National Park (ASLNP), Ethiopia

Tewodros Kumssa* and Afework Bekele

Department of Zoological Sciences, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

*Corresponding Author’s Email: tewodroskk @ gmail. com

Abstract:

Abijata-Shalla Lakes National Park is well known in its bird diversity and saline crater lakes. These lakes are most important feeding site of flamingos. However, much of their physico-chemical and its biotic information are not reviewed. The study was carried out from October 2011 to November 2013 during wet and dry seasons to fill the identified gap in physico-chemical characteristics, phytoplankton and level of heavy metals. Physico-chemical characteristics of water were measured using a multiparameter portable instrument (AQUAVIA, Model S× 723 PH/mV/ Cond Meter). For the chemical analysis water samples were collected from the surface water using polyethylene bottles, and were analyzed using standard methods. Phytoplanktons were collected with a phytoplankton net seasonally, counted and identified. A total of 23 genera were identified from Lake Abijata. Comparatively, a higher number of species was recorded during dry than the wet season. The compositions of phytoplankton were dominated by Arthrospira fusiformis in Lake chitu andBacillariophyceae in Lake Abijata. In Lake Abijata Bacillariophyceae community was hold 91.21% of the plankton abundance. Value of pH and temperature showed insignificant variation, conductivity, salinity and TDS varied widely between lakes and rivers. Water chemistry analysis reflected sodium as the major cation while chloride and bicarbonate were the major anions. The findings of heavy metal indicated that the mean concentration of Zn was 0.14 mg/l, CU 0.009 mg/l, Pb 0.039 mg/l, Fe 6.17 mg/l and Cr 0.109 mg/l/. Cadmium was not detected in the water samples. The levels of most heavy metals recorded in water were generally low, when compared to the international permissible limits. The analysis of phytoplankton of lakes indicates the water of lakes can be considered different.

Keywords: Abijata, Heavy metals, Lakes, Phytoplankton, Physico-chemical, Seasonal.

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Journal Name : citation_journal : Greener Journal of  Biological Sciences