An Ecological Study of Epiphytic Algae on Two Aquatic Macrophytes in Lotic Ecosystem

The epiphytic algae on some aquatic macrophytes and related physical and chemical properties of Al-Abbasyia-Euphrates river middle of Iraq were studied during the study period from March 2012 to February 2013. Four sites between the Al-Kifil districts extending to the Al-Abbasyia district selected. The quantitative and qualitative of epiphytic algae on Phragmites australis and Ceratophyllum demersum have studied. In addition to many physical and chemical parameters such as air and water temperature, water flow, transparency, pH, electric conductivity (EC), Salinity (‰), TDS, TSS, dissolved oxygen, BOD5, alkalinity, total hardness, calcium and magnesium. A total of 209 epiphytic algal taxa belonging to Bacillariophyceae (144), Chlorophyceae (39), Cyanophyceae (19) and Euglenophyceae (2) recorded within the present study. Some algal taxa noticed mostly dominant among both the study sites and periods. These were Cymatopleura elliptica, Eunotia arcus, Nitizschia sp., Cymbella sp. and Gomphonema sp. This study revealed the existence of some algal taxa on specific parts of the host macrophytes. Where Sphaerocystis attached on the stem of C. demersum; Actinoptychus sp. attached on the root of P. australis; Chaetoceros capense on the root of P.australus and Thalassiosira fluviatilis on the leaves of P. australis.