USE OF EPIPELIC ALGAE AS A BIOINDICATOR TO DETERMINE WATER QUALITY OF AL-DIWANYIA RIVER, DIWANYIA (IRAQ)FIKRAT M. HASSAN, BASSAM M. AL-YASEEN AND AZAL ABBASAbstract The algal samples were collected monthly, from selected four sampling stations of Al- Diwanyia river at Al- Diwanyia City from September 2015 to June 2016. A total of 145 species belong to 44 genera of epipelic algae were recorded from four sampling stations throughout the study period. In the present study, Four biodiversity indices (Richness index, Shannon-Wiener index, Evenness index and Jaccard Similarity index) and one pollution index (Diatomic index) were employed to study the water quality of Al- Diwanyia river. The score of Diatomic Index ranged from 1.71 to 3.56. The score of each site confirmed moderate to high pollution. Considering all the water parameters, biodiversity indices and pollution index, it was clearly shown from the results of the present study that the water quality of Al- Diwanyia river was affected from anthropogenic actitivies at the river. Thus, algal communities were used as bioindicator of pollution of river. |