The use of diatoms to assess the water quality in the Wisłoka River in the town of Dębica and the surrounding area

• Published in: Oceanological and hydrobiological studies 2016-06, Vol.45 (2), p.191-201
• Main Authors: Noga, Teresa, Stanek-Tarkowska, Jadwiga, Peszek, Łukasz, Pajączek, Anita, Kochman-Kędziora, Natalia, Ligęzka, Rafał
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Achnanthidium minutissimum; Agriculture; Ammonium nitrogen; Amphora pediculus; Analytical chemistry; Bacillariophyceae; Biology; Dams; diatom indices SPI; Diatoms; Dissipation; Dominant species; Dębica town; GDI; Genera; Geography; Gomphonema; Hydrology; Marine; Marine microorganisms; Navicula; Navicula gregaria; Navicula lanceolata; Nitzschia; Nitzschia dissipata; Oceanography; PCA; pH effects; Plankton; Quality assessment; RDA; Rivers; SE Poland; Species richness; Taxonomy; Towns; Urban areas; Water quality; Water quality assessments; Wisłoka River
• ISSN: 1897-3191; 1730-413X; 1897-3191
• DOI: 10.1515/ohs-2016-0018

The objective of this work was to examine the water quality using three diatom indices SPI, GDI and TDI. The material for the study was collected during four seasons from autumn 2010 to summer 2011, from four sampling sites located on the Wisłoka River, in the town of Dębica and the surrounding area. The Wisłoka at all selected sites was characterized by alkaline or close to neutral pH (pH 6.5-7.7). Electrolytic conductivity ranged from 364 to 480 µS cm . The Wisłoka at the selected sites in the urban area and in the surrounding areas was characterized by high diatom species richness. The total of 238 taxa from 53 genera were recorded, of which the most numerous were: (44), (33) and (12). var. , and ssp. were usually the dominant species. Chemical parameters indicated very good quality of water. However, the diatom indices used to assess the water quality, classified the studied water into a group corresponding to quality class III or IV.