Taxonomical composition and dynamics of phytoplankton in an urban hypertrophic lake

Abstract

Taxonomic composition and temporal fluctuation of the phytoplankton community inhabiting the urban, hypertrophic shallow lake Tezozomoc, D.F. was analyzed. Water samples were taken monthly at the littoral and limnetic areas of the lake, from September 2003 to August 2004. Temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, conductivity (K25), chlorophyll a, and nutrients (N and P) concentrations were measured. Phytoplankton was identified and counted including the fraction smaller than 2 µm. Fifty phytoplankton species were identified, being Chlorophyta the dominant group. Two species belonging to the genus Microcystis showed high abundances in the lake from September to December 2003. Merismopedia punctata, Selenastrum minutum, Chlamydomonas globosa and Monoraphidium caribeum, as well as picophytoplankton, were dominant. Environmental and biological data clearly reflected two different seasons in the lake: one cold and dry season (September to March) and the second, warm and wet (April to August). Along the first season, mean values of water temperature (17.6 ºC), nutrients (P-PO4 = 2.21, N-NO3 = 0.4 mg L-1) and chlorophyll a (200 ?g L-1) were lower, while K25 (985 µS cm-1) and dissolved oxygen (10.1 mg L-1) concentrations were the higher. Dominant species along the period were C. globosa, Cyclotella meneghiniana, M. griffithii, Cryptomonas ovata and Microcystis spp. The second period had the higher mean values of water temperature (21 ºC), nutrients concentration (P-PO4 = 3.31, N-NO3 = 3.3 mg L-1) and clorophyll a (295 ?g L-1), while K25 (808 µS cm-1) and dissolved oxygen concentrations (6.8 mg L-1) decreased. S. minutum, M. caribeum, Chlorogonium minimum and the picophytoplankton were dominant. Identified species and the environmental conditions values indicated the hypertrophic state of the Tezozomoc lake.