Longitudinal distribution of periphyton algae in the Moskva river under eutrophication

• Published in: Water resources Vol. 43; no. 3; pp. 513 - 521
• Main Authors: Rusanov, A. G., Khromov, V. M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Moscow Pleiades Publishing 01-05-2016; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Algae; Aquatic ecology; Aquatic plants; Aquatic Pollution; Bacillariophyceae; Biogenic materials; Earth and Environmental Science; Earth Sciences; Environmental factors; Eutrophication; Flow velocity; Freshwater; Hydrogeology; Hydrology/Water Resources; Light intensity; Rivers; Spatial distribution; Statistical methods; Submerged plants; Waste Water Technology; Water Management; Water Pollution Control; Water Quality and Protection: Environmental Aspects; Russia, Moskovskaya, Moskva; Russia, Moskovskaya, Moskva R; river continuum; diatom algae; ecological guilds; peripyton; eutrophication; flow velocity; patch dynamics concept
• ISSN: 0097-8078; 1608-344X
• DOI: 10.1134/S0097807816030131

Variations of the species structure of periphyton algae community on submerged plants have been studied along the longitudinal profile of the Moskva R. with the use of multivariate statistical methods. The results of principal-coordinates analysis show the flow velocity and biogenic load to be the major factors governing the spatial variations of periphyton structure. Mantel test shows the difference in the species structure to be correlated more closely with local variations in the environmental factors than with the distance along river channel. Therefore, the spatial distribution of periphyton in the Moskva R. agrees better with the concept of patch dynamics than the concept of river continuum. Estimation of the indicator potential of three ecological guilds of diatoms (low profile, high profile, and motile) has shown a positive response of motile diatoms to an increase in the concentration of biogenic compounds. The effect of other factors, such as light intensity in macrophyte stands and the microdistribution of diatoms in periphyton layer, can disturb the relationship between biogenic substance concentrations and the abundance of low profile and high profile diatoms.