Seasonal monitoring of algal flora in Pamukkale travertines and thermal springs (Denizli-Turkey)

In this study, the distribution and seasonal variation of the algal flora and some environmental parameters in the travertines and thermal water springs in Pamukkale-Denizli have been investigated between September 2010 and August 2011. For this purpose, a number of stations have been designated in the travertines, water channels, pools and ponds, where the algae samples were collected for the four seasons. Some of the environmental parameters such as temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen and electrical conductivity were measured in the study area in each season. The collected algae samples were identified, and their cell concentrations were calculated. The obtained data set was statistically analyzed by a series of tests in Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software package. According to the Kruskal Wallis H test (p < 0.05, chi square > 5) there is a significant relationship between the water samples collected from each station and T, pH, DO. According to the Friedman test EC value has a significant relationship according to different seasons (p < 0.05). The highest EC value is observed in the spring, followed by summer, fall and winter, respectively. The relationship between the environmental parameters, species functional group, seasons and stations were observed by using Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) software package. Negative and positive correlation and also the affinity of the species according to the environmental parameters were observed. In this study 35 genera, 57 taxa belonging to Cyanophyta (26 genera, 46 taxa), Charophyta (6 genera, 8 taxa), Chlorophyta (2 genera, 2 taxa) and Dinophyta (1 genus, 1 taxon) have been identified. Oscillatoria limnetica and Cyanobacterium minervae were the most abundant species, followed by Chara.sp., Spirulina subsalsa, Chroococcua minutus, Anabaena sp., Schizothrix thermophila, Gloeocapsa sp. and Pseudanabaena papillaterminata.