The effects of copper and zinc on biomass and taxonomic composition of algal periphyton communities from the River Gharasou, Western Iran

Abstract

Indoor artificial streams were used to evaluate the short-term (24 day) influence of copper and zinc, individually and in combination, on the biomass and taxonomic composition of algal periphyton communities. The effects of Cu (50 µg l -1 ) and Zn (1 mg l -1 ) were assessed using measurements of biomass, ash-free dry mass (AFDM), chlorophyll-a concentration, taxonomic composition and biovolume. In artificial streams with Cu, Zn and Cu+Zn, there were significant (p < 0.05) reductions of chlorophyll-a concentrations, dry mass and AFDM, and also changes in * Corresponding author: islam.atazadeh@gmail.com the species diversity and relative abundances of periphyton species. In artificial streams containing both Cu and Zn the taxonomic composition shifted from a Cyanophyceaen dominated community to one consisting mainly of Chlorophyceae, whilst the relative contribution of Bacillariophyceae was not significantly altered.

Short-term toxicity of hexavalent-chromium to epipsammic diatoms of a microtidal estuary (Río de la Plata): Responses from the individual cell to the community structure

“…Exposure to chromium -at the concentration tested and during a short-term period (i.e., 96 h) -would therefore appear not to have affected the algal biomass or the density of the mature biofilms (those having various growth forms: adnates along with stalked and motile species) in this experiment. In contrast, different authors have reported a decrease in algal biomass related to longer exposures to copper, zinc, and/or cadmium -i.e., from 24 days to 2-12 weeks (Atazadeh et al, 2009;Ivorra, 2000;Morin et al, 2012;Paulsson et al, 2000;Serra and Guasch, 2009;Soldo and Behra, 2000). In agreement with the results here, Duong et al (2010) reported that a mature biofilm's development was not inhibited after two weeks of cadmium contamination and seemed to be more resistant to cadmium toxicity, unlike the significant decrease in biomass they observed in younger biofilms.…”

Characterization of water reservoirs affected by acid mine drainage: geochemical, mineralogical, and biological (diatoms) properties of the water

“…The structure of diatom communities may also be affected by elevated levels of inorganic chemicals in addition to natural resources (Deniseger et al 1986;Gray and Hill 1995;Genter 1996;Paulsson et al 2000;Atazadeh et al 2009). In the present study, the susceptibility of diatoms to metals is reported in Fig.…”

Community structure and ecological responses to hydrological changes in benthic algal assemblages in a regulated river: application of algal metrics and multivariate techniques in river management

“…In situ measurements of temperature, pH, electrical conductivity, turbidity, depth, oxidation reduction potential, and dissolved oxygen were obtained using an Horiba multimeter (Water checker U-52G). Then, samples collected for water quality analyses were filtered using 0.45 µm syringe filters at each site for total suspended solids, total dissolved solids, total oxidised nitrogen, total phosphorous, total nitrogen, ammonia, silica, cations and anions were undertaken in the laboratory at Federation University Australia using a spectrophotometer and Gallery Automated Photometric Analyser and Hach DR 2800 following standard methods (APHA 2007, Atazadeh et al 2009, Victoria EPA 2009.…”