Abstract

Investigation of nutrient and composition of benthic algae from chosen random sampling station on Karagöl-Aksaz Marsh were researched between November 2005 and November 2006. In addition, some physical and chemical parameters (soluble reactive phosphorus, total phosphorus, NH₄, NO₃, Cl, chlorophyll-a (Chl-a), carotenoid, pH, O₂) were measured. Benthic algae diversity was calculated by using the Shannon-Weaver (H^') and evenness (J) index. (H^') indices varied from 1.03 to 1.48, and (J) from 0.42 to 0.67. Cluster analysis produced the three major groups, A-B swamp-wet and C swamp-dry, and occurs at the highest level of similarity. The analyses were recognized at the 0.4 dissimilarity level. A total of 55 benthic algae taxa were identified in Kargöl-Aksaz Marsh lake. Although the species of genus Gomphosphaeria spp., Dictyosphaeriumspp., Navicula spp., and Gomphonema spp. constituted the main composition of the benthic flora, the species belonging to genus Sellaphora spp., Frustulia spp., Pinnularia spp. and Stauroneis spp. were found to be less numerous. The flora as a whole increased in March, April and May (swamp-wet) and decreased in July and August (swamp-dry).

Key words: Marsh, benthic algae, cluster, diversity, nutrient.