Investigating the New Micro-Ecological Characteristics of Darga-Sangi Wetland in West Azarbaijan Province

Wetlands, as fragile water sources, are constantly affected by climate change and human activities. Recently, human intervention and the reduction of surface water in the catchment area of Lake Urmia have altered the microflora and physicochemical parameters of the wetlands, which need to be investigated. Results showed that phytoplankton populations of Darga-Sangi wetland consisted of Chlorophyta (2 classes, 10 families, and 22 genera), Cyanobacteriata (1 classes, 3 families, and 4 genera), Streptophyta (1 classes, 2 families, and 2 genera), Ochrophyta (2 classes, 2 families, and 2 genera), and Basillariophyta (4 orders, 6 families, and 10 genera ). In addition, pH value, Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD), and Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) were investigated. The highest amount of BOD5 of Darga-Sangi wetland was estimated to be between 78 and 98 mg/l, while the highest amount of COD was 159 and 198 mg/l during the summer season. The results indicate that the high influx of organic and mineral substances into the wetland has affected its enrichment which resulted in blooming of microalgae and hence, rising ecological concerns. The bacterial load in this wetland puts it in an unfavorable condition, which can be dangerous for native and migratory organisms.