Cadmium effects on total individual numbers, species diversity and pigments content of epiphytic diatoms growing on Myriophyllum spicatum L.

Abstract

KEYWORDSThis study investigated the total organism change, species richness, chlorophyll-a and carotenoid changes in the floral composition, which are developed by epiphytic diatom species growing on Myriophyllum spicatum L., collected from the Gokpinar Lake (Sivas, Turkey) against the effects of cadmium. The concentrations of the cadmium (0, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 16 mg/L) were used and they were exposed to heavy metal for 96 hours. The experimental set up was already assembled before the epiphytic diatoms separated from the M. spicatum. While the total organism decreased in all cadmium concentrations compared to the control group, the viability rate within the total organism decreased from 90 to %60. Cocconeis placentula var. euglypta (Ehr.) Grun. and Gomphonema minutum Ag. were found to be dominant species in the flora. The index of diversity was determined as 0.82 in the control group. Depending on the increase in cadmium concentration, this value decreased to 0.38. Chlorophyll-a and carotenoid quantities decreased with the increase of cadmium concentration. Diatom Pigment Diversity Epiphytic Cadmium Myriophyllum

Changes in photosynthetic pigments and species diversity of epiphytic diatoms on Myriophyllum triphyllum exposed to cadmium

“…At the end of a period of 96 h, the samples were placed in a basin, 100 ml water was added, and the samples within the basin were scratched with the help of a thinhair brush. The diatoms that became suspended in the water as a result of brushing were placed together with the water into sample containers and then labelled 18 . Water samples were filtered with Whatman GF/C filter paper with the help of a millipore, the remaining filtrate was dissolved with the help of acetone, and the values were determined and calculated in accordance with the principle of spectrophotometric reading for chlorophyll-a and carotenoids 19 .…”