The Systematic Composition of Bacillariophyta members from Ergene River (Thrace Region, Turkey)

Abstract

There are a good many researches carried out to be able to find out the species of phytoplanktonic organisms which are widely met in the inland waters of Turkey and make up the first link of food chain in nature. In addition to this, there are lots of water sources the phytoplanktonic composition (one of the most effective methods of identifying drinking water in Turkey in which inland waters cover a huge area) and biodiversity of which have not been found out and listed. Ergene River is among the richest water basins in Turkey in terms of freshwater and there is not a comprehensive research carried out to determine the algae composition in this area. For that reason, Bacillariophyta members which are met in main streams supporting Ergene River, have been gathered seasonally; and systematic positions of these algae have been identified and photographed. As a consequence of this study; 114 different taxa species belonging to Coscinodiscophyceae (4) and Bacillariophyceae (110) taxa have been observed and found out in Ergene River and other watercourses along with water basins supporting this river. After these taxa have been gathered, how these are spread with regard to seasonal and sample points have been determined. All of these taxa, which have been identified with respect to freshwater algal flora of Turkey, have been recorded for the first time for that region while 22 of these taxa have been recorded for the first time for Turkey.