Benthic algal community structure and water quality of the Zapadna Morava River basin near Cacak

Abstract

Rivers provide their living world with a multitude of microhabitats, the mutual characteristic of which is a directed water flow. Other characteristics (water chemistry, size of the basin area, amount of water, flow rate, erosion, temperature and light regimes) are directly affected by the regions the rivers flow through.

The samples for algological investigations were collected and processed using standard methods (Kann after Schwoerbel 1970, Husted 1969 after Krammer Lange-Bertalot 1986, Vollenweider 1971). Determination of the water quality of the Zapadna Morava, Kamenica and the Cemernica rivers, based on algae as bioindicators, was made using methods after Pantle-Buck (1955), Zelinka, Marvan, Kubicek (1959) and after Zelinka, Marvan (1963).

Over the study period, at all the sites investigated, the presence of 145 taxa from 6 divisions was determined, the divisions being: Cyanophyta, Pyrrophyta, Xanthophyta, Bacillariophyta, Euglenophyta and Chlorophyta.

The water quality was much affected by general hydrologic conditions and it ranged from oligosaprobic (the Kamenica) to α-mesosaprobic (the Čemernica) zone.