Taxonomic investigation of epipelic and epiphytic diatoms in Lake Hazar (Elazığ)

In this study conducted in Elazığ Hazar Lake, the epipelic and epiphytic diatoms of the lake were examined. Located in the Eastern Anatolia Region and being one of the important surface water resources of the region, Hazar Lake constitutes an important potential for the region with recreational purposes and also constitutes an important economic resource for the region with the fishing activities. The effects of the tourism areas formed around the lake in recent years and the earthquakes that occurred in the region on diatoms were examined in this study. It is thought that the structure of the water resources in our region, where tectonic movements are observed, may change and these changes may change the composition of the organisms living in them. Diatoms, which are important organisms of aquatic environments, are also affected by these changes. In this study, it was determined that the epipelic and epiphytic diatom flora of Hazar Lake is represented by 49 species belonging to 28 genera. In the lake, Cymbella (4 spp.), Epithemia (5 spp.) and Navicula (7 spp.) are the genera represented with the highest number of species. It was determined that the majority of these species detected in Hazar Lake are cosmopolitan species. It has been observed that some of the species determined in Lake Hazar are oligotrophic species that prefer alkaline waters as their habitat. When the presence of these species in the epipelic and epiphytic diatom flora of Lake Hazar and the results of other studies revealing the chemical structure of the lake water are compared, it is evaluated that the electrolyte content of the lake is high and oligotrophic. Keywords: Elazig, Hazar Lake, Algae, Diatoms, Bacillariophyta