article · Ecological Indicators
An evaluation of water quality in Egypt's El-Temsah Lake was conducted across twenty sites during the winter and summer of 2018 using physicochemical parameters and phytoplankton indices. Over one hundred phytoplankton species were recorded in each season, with Navicula cryptocephala identified as the predominant species overall. Diversity, richness, and equitability indices were higher during the summer months. Statistical analysis demonstrated that phytoplankton quantity correlated negatively with pH, temperature, and total dissolved solids, but positively with levels of nitrate and silicate. Overall biological indicators, such as the Shannon diversity and Margalef indices, classified the lake as experiencing moderate pollution. Furthermore, elevated Palmer index scores at northern sites during summer indicated a strong probability of organic pollution, signalling an urgent requirement for intervention to restore the aquatic ecosystem.
Monitoring microscopic organisms like phytoplankton offers early warnings about environmental degradation in aquatic ecosystems. By pairing biological diversity with chemical measurements, water authorities can pinpoint specific zones suffering from organic pollution. This approach helps environmental managers identify vulnerable areas quickly and target restoration actions to preserve lake health and water safety.
This research provides baseline data and bioindicator methods that could inform environmental monitoring programmes and ecological consulting services focused on lake management. Potential users include municipal water authorities and environmental regulators. The work represents applied observational research tested in the field, though the abstract does not indicate a direct pathway toward a commercial product or service.
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Biological water quality is one of the main indicators of water pollution. The main objective of the current study was to assess El-Temsah Lake, Egypt, water quality in 2018 using phytoplankton and physicochemical indices (e.g. species richness, diversity, equitability, and Palmer indices). Spatio-seasonal variability of phytoplanktons, qualitative status and physiochemical parameters assessed in 20 sample sites of El-Temsah Lake during the winter and summer seasons of 2018. Our results indicated that the phytoplankton abundance comprised of 105 species from 69 genera in summer and 101 species from 68 genera in winter. Navicula cryptocephala Kützing was the predominant species in both seasons, especially in the middle sites of the lake. Phytoplankton quantity negatively relates to pH, temperature, and total dissolved solids but is positively related to nitrate and silicate level according to the Pearson correlation coefficient analysis. Summer season recorded higher diversity, richness, and equitability indices than winter. According to the Shannon diversity and Margalef indices, El-Temsah Lake was in moderate pollution levels. In conclusion, Genus Palmer's Index values at the north sites were in the range of 20 during the summer, implying a high probability of organic pollution of these sites. Thus, immediate action is required instantly to retrieve a good quality of El-Temsah Lake's aquatic ecosystem. The findings of this research offered a reference for analyzing the composition and distribution of phytoplankton communities, nutrient status, and pollution levels in El-Temsah Lake, as well as in other comparable lakes.
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DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolind.2024.111721
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