- Title
- Assessment of the spatial and temporal variations in periphyton communities along a small temperate river system: A multimetric and stable isotope analysis approach
- Creator
- Dalu, Tatenda, Bere, Taurai, Richoux, Nicole B, Froneman, P William
- Date
- 2015
- Type
- text
- Type
- article
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/10962/124249
- Identifier
- vital:35580
- Identifier
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sajb.2015.05.028
- Description
- Periphyton community structure and stable isotope values have been identified as potential indicators of anthropogenic nitrogen pollution, an increasingly important challenge in aquatic systems. The aim of the study was to assess the spatio-temporal changes in periphyton characteristics to identify potential anthropogenic nitrogen pollution sources such as agricultural and sewage discharge within the Kowie River catchment, South Africa. Periphyton was collected once a season from five sites between September 2012 and May 2013. Diversity indices, multimetric and stable isotope analyses were employed for describing the spatial and temporal dynamics of periphyton community assemblages. Water depth, salinity, resistivity, oxygen reduction potential, nitrates, water velocity and conductivity were the major factors affecting periphyton community structure. Eighty-seven periphyton taxa belonging to 43 genera were recorded throughout the study sites and periods. Periphyton species richness, abundance and stable isotope signatures differed significantly among sites but not among seasons. The lower sections of the Kowie River were polluted by anthropogenic sources as indicated by the high periphytic isotopic nitrogen values (7.9–15.2‰) compared to the pristine upstream sites (4–8‰). We recommend that researchers use a combination of community structure and stable isotope measurements to monitor the periphyton in lotic systems.
- Format
- 13 pages, pdf
- Language
- English
- Relation
- South African Journal of Botany, Dalu, T., Bere, T., Richoux, N.B. and Froneman, P.W., 2015. Assessment of the spatial and temporal variations in periphyton communities along a small temperate river system: A multimetric and stable isotope analysis approach. South African Journal of Botany, 100, pp.203-212., South African Journal of Botany volume 100 203 212 2015 0254-6299
- Rights
- South African Journal of Botany
- Rights
- Use of this resource is governed by the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons "Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike" License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/)
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Froneman, Pierre William (Prof)
Richoux, Nicole Bertine (Assoc Prof)
RU Department of Zoology and Entomology
SDG 14. Life Below Water
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