Qualitative and quantitative study of phytoplankton in lotic ecosystems, Iraq

Phytoplankton is the key factor of primary production in streams and other lotic systems. This study focused on phytoplankton in bani- Hassan stream in Karabala province. Five sites were selected along the stream where monthly sampling was carried for 12 months. The physicochemical parameters were studied in addition to diversity, spatial and temporal variation of phytoplankton and biological diversity indices. A total of 136 taxa of phytoplankton were identified which belonged to 65 genera . Where 65, 34, 17, 3 and 1 taxa belonged to Baciallriophyceae, Charophyceae, Cyanophyceae, Dinophyceae and both Euglenophyceae and Cryptophyceae, respectively. Temporal and spatial variations in total number of phytoplankton were noticed in this study. Highest total number was (2.42 cell x 103 /l) recorded at site 2 in May 2013 and the lowest was (0.18 cell x 103 /l) recorded at site 4 in January 2013. Cyclotell, Aulacoseria, Cocconeis, Cymatoplerura, Nitzschia, Cymbella and Oscillatoria were all recorded over study time.