using diatoms as biological indicators to determine water quality of AlrHabbaniyah lake - lraq

Abstract

The diatomic community and water quality were monitored at five sampling sites in Al-Habbaniyah Lake during December 2015 to July 2OL7. Four biological indices, viz. Saprobic index (Sl), Pollution tolerance index (PTl), Trophic diatom index (TDt) and Shanon diversity index (H/, were adopted to classify the water quality of the Al- Habbaniyah Lake in comparison with the measured physical - chemical water quality. The result shows that most of the studded indices reflected the status of the water quality in the lake and reflected that the water quality are moderately polluted water and it was found that the lake is alkaline, well oxygenated, oligohaline and very hard. Sulfate was the maior ion present in water and silicate concentration was relatively higher than the diatom demands. The existing of some diatomic species indicated the trophic status (mesotrophic to eutrophic) of the lake and this result conformed by using diatomic indices in this study