Epilithic diatom communities of selected streams from the Lerma-Chapala Basin, Central Mexico, with the description of two new species

Abstract

The Lerma-Chapala Basin, in Central Mexico, is geologically heterogeneous, climatically diverse and boasts high biodiversity, lying within two Biodiversity Hotspots, namely Mesoamerica and the Madrean Pine–Oak Woodlands. Epilithon and water samples were collected in the basin from 14 sampling sites three times each, two sampling campaigns during the rainy season and one in the dry season. A total of 274 infrageneric taxa in 48 genera were recorded. The taxonomic composition observed was dominated by taxa from the genera Nitzschia, Gomphonema, Pinnularia, Navicula, Sellaphora and Eunotia. About a third of the taxa found could not be identified to the species level. From those unidentified morphodemes, two are described as new species, namely Brachysira altepetlensis and Sellaphora queretana. Furthermore, Eolimna rhombica is transferred to Sellaphora. Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) revealed that specific conductivity and pH were the main environmental factors driving the community composition observed. Three groups of samples were identified after the CCA: 1) characterized by acidic waters and low conductivity; 2) with circumneutral waters, low specific conductivity and high temperature and phosphorous concentrations; and 3) characterized by circumneutral waters, high conductivity and low nitrogen concentrations. The indicator value method (IndVal), based on the relative abundance and relative frequency of the most abundant taxa was calculated based on the groups observed in the CCA, identifying the characteristic taxa for each of the three groups.