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Use of benthic diatom communities to evaluate water quality in rivers of southern Poland

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Abstract

Biological and chemical data were processed to estimate trophic stage and degree of pollution in several streams and rivers in southern Poland. The majority were eutrophic and some of them heavily polluted; only a few were oligo-mesotrophic. The differences in the water quality of the rivers were reflected by different types of diatom community and also by the values for some diatom indices, which were calculated using the latest version of the 'Omnidia' database software. Except for the Sládeček's index, all diatom indices correlated significantly with organic load (COD), oxygen concentration, conductivity and most of the measured ions. Some indices showed a significant negative correlation with trophic level (expressed by NH4-N and PO4-P). In general, IPS (Specific Pollution Sensitivity Index) and GDI (Generic Diatom Index) indices gave the best results. Among the investigated diatom communities, only a few taxa indicated oligo-mesotrophy and oligo-β-mesosaprobity. Most of the sites were characterised by a greater relative contribution of eutraphent and tolerant ones as well as α-mesosaprobic and polysaprobic diatoms. This study suggests that the structure of benthic diatom communities and diatom indices, especially GDI, can be applied for monitoring rivers in Poland.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Karol Starmach Institute of Freshwater Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, ul. Slawkowska 17, PL 31-016, Kraków, Poland

    Janina Kwandrans, Barbara Kawecka & Krzysztof Wojtan

  2. Department of Limnology and Environmental Protection/Limnology, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 27 (E-house, Viikki), FIN-00014, Finland

    Pertti Eloranta

Authors
  1. Janina Kwandrans
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  2. Pertti Eloranta
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  3. Barbara Kawecka
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  4. Krzysztof Wojtan
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Kwandrans, J., Eloranta, P., Kawecka, B. et al. Use of benthic diatom communities to evaluate water quality in rivers of southern Poland. Journal of Applied Phycology 10, 193–201 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1008087114256

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1008087114256

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