Planktonic-based assessment of the landside-dammed lake (Erzurum-Turkey)

The aim of this study was to identify the variation of plankton communities in the Tortum Lake. Changes in phytoplankton and zooplankton communities in relation to the abiotic environment were analyzed using multivariate analysis. Water samples were taken monthly from three sampling points of the Tortum Lake between June 2012 and May 2013. Water temperature (5.28-23.05°C), dissolved oxygen (1.54-13.68 mgL-1), and pH (7.22-9.01) were measured in situ. Chlorophyll-a and total orthophosphate concentrations ranged from 0.18 to 5.70 mgL-1 and from 0.01 to 0.00 mgL-1, respectively. In the Tortum Lake, Ceratium hirundinella (18%), Botryococcus braunii (51%), Chlamydomonas microsphaerella (25%), Microcystis aeruginosa (7%), Melosira varians (1%), Monoraphidium contortum (1%), Copepoda (66%), Daphnia (33%) and Keratella (1%) were found. Some species such as M. aeruginosa were increased by organic and inorganic pollution in Tortum Lake.