Use of epipelic diatoms for assessment of biological water quality in two different periods of Mustafakemalpaşa stream (Bursa)

In this study, it was aimed to determine the epipelic diatom composition of Mustafakemalpaşa Stream, which is one of the important water resources of Bursa province, and to determine the biological water quality of the study area by using the indicator properties of epipelic diatoms. The epipelic diatoms of Mustafakemalpaşa Stream were examined on a monthly basis from two stations between October 2016 and September 2017. The study data were compared with the monthly data obtained from the same study area and the same stations between April 2001 and May 2002, and the epipelic diatom composition was compared between the sampling periods. While 100 epipelic diatom taxa were determined in the sampling period of April 2001-May 2002, the number of taxa was 63 in the sampling period of October 2016-September 2017. In both periods, Achnanthidium minutissimum (Kützing) Czarnecki, Amphora ovalis (Kützing) Kützing, Amphora pediculus (Kützing) Grunow, Cocconeis pediculus Ehrenberg, Cymbella affinis Kützing, Diatoma moniliformis (Kützing) D.M.Williams, Diatoma vulgaris Bory, Cyclotella meneghiniana Kützing, Melosira varians C.Agardh, Navicula tripunctata (O.F.Müller) Bory, Navicula veneta Kützing, Nitzschia frustulum (Kützing) Grunow, Rhoicosphenia abbreviata (C.Agardh) Lange-Bertalot and Ulnaria ulna (Nitzsch) Compère are the most important taxa in terms of their relative abundance. Water quality classes were determined according to the Surface Water Quality Regulation by using some environmental variables measured in Mustafakemalpaşa Stream. In order to determine biological water quality of Mustafakemalpaşa Stream, Trophic Diatom Index was applied. According to the results of the Trophic Diatom Index, Mustafakemalpaşa Stream was found to be eutrophic in both study periods.