To Determine the Water Quality of Ulupınar Stream and Olympos Creek According to Physicochemical Parameters and Epilithic Diatoms in Antalya, Turkey

Abstract

This study aimed to determine the diatom flora and water quality based on physico-chemical parameters of Ulupınar Stream and Olympos Creek, which are important tourism destinations. Six stations were selected, four on Ulupınar Stream and two on Olympos Creek, and fieldwork was conducted on a seasonally. Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD5), ammonium nitrogen (NH4-N), nitrite nitrogen (NO2-N), nitrate nitrogen (NO3-N), chloride (Cl-), temperature (˚C), dissolved oxygen (mg/l), pH and electrical conductivity (μS/cm) were measured and water quality classes were identified on the basis of the Surface Water Quality Regulations. The GDI, TDI, SI, TI, TDI and DI-CH indices were used to assess water classes on the basis of epilithic diatom communities. Sørensen similarity and Margalef diversity analyses were conducted to identify any similarities and differences between the stations in terms of the taxons identified. Overall, OD1 was classified as II. quality class, while the rest of the stations were classified as I. quality class based on the Surface Water Quality Regulations. In this study, a total of 64 taxons from 33 genera were identified among the epilithic diatoms retrieved. The genus with the largest number of species was Nitzschia, of which eight species were found. The most dominant taxon was Achnanthidium minutissimum (Kützing) Czarnecki. Overall, UC1, UC2 and OD2 were classified as I-II. quality class, UC3 and UC4 were classified as II. quality class and OD1 was classified as I. quality class, based on the epilithic diatom communities.

Keywords

• ulupınar stream
• olympos creek
• epilithic
• diatoms
• biological monitoring