HWS ALGAE referegroup meeting Sep 2011
-
Upload
nelia-jonker -
Category
Documents
-
view
106 -
download
1
Transcript of HWS ALGAE referegroup meeting Sep 2011
The identification of Algae diversity in thermal springs in northern Limpopo
PROJECT K5/1959/1
Jana Olivier, Nelia Jonker, Carin van Ginkel
September 2011
INTRODUCTION
► A large number of South African hot springs seem to be located on the Limpopo Belt, Cape Fold Belt and Namaqua-Natal belt
► Some of these thermal springs are used for recreational activities, spas and some are used domestically in rural communities.
► A number of strains of Phytoplankton/Algae are extremely toxic and when disrupted toxins are released to water.
Rational ► A major gaps exists in the identification /diversity of algae in
South African thermal springs and the evaluation for possible toxicity of thermal waters.
BacillariophytaCraticula Grunow
BacillariophytaGyrosigma Hassall
CyanophytaLyngbya Agardh
BacillariophytaCyclotella Kutzing
ChlorophytaCoelastrum Nageli
ChlorophytaChlamydomonas Ehrenberg
What are algae ?► Belong to the Kingdom
Protista and some such as Cyanobacteria are included in Kingdom Monera
► 13 Divisions of algae including green algae, diatoms, golden brown algae, blue- green algae, brown , yellow- green algae and red algae
► It includes simple photosynthetic organisms
► Algae are a vital part of ecosystems
► Provide food for other organisms
► Absorb nutrients and heavy metals
► Contains a vast array of different biochemistries, morphologies and life cycles
Bacillariophyta Cyanophyta
Aquatic organism : Rotifers feeding on algae (Siloam)
AIM 2010/2011
Geographically identify thermophylic algae diversity from hot springs in Limpopo Province
PROGRESS 2010/2011
The preliminary algae diversity of six hot water springs were determined from:
Mphephu, Sagole, Siloam and Tshipise, Soutini and the Eiland
Mphephu
SagoleTshipisiDie Eiland
Soutini
METHODOLOGYSampling
► Water samples were collected in August, 2010 from thermal springs for the morphotype identification of the species diversity properties and for phytoplankton community studies.
► Temperature, pH, electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solid (TDS) and dissolved oxygen (DO) were determined insitu while other parameters were determined in the laboratory.
Identification ► Microscopic observations
were conducted at DWAF Roodeplaat
► The samples collected were identified for morphological characteristics of the algae on Carl Zeiss 40x magnification inverted microscope
► Only features useful in generic identification were used
RESULTS ALGAE DIVERSITY
Table 1 summarise the results of the most abundant families in the six thermal springs.
Family Cyanophytha Chlorophyta Bacillanophyta Euglenophytha Dinophyta
Cyanobacteria
/Blue-green algae
Green algae Diatoms Euglenoids Dinoflagellates
Mphephu Oscillaroria sp
Anabaena sp
Phormidium
Nostroc
Lyngbya
Kirchneriella sp Diadesmus
Die Eiland Anabaena
Phormidium
Sagole Anabaena sp
Oscillatoria sp
Phormidium
Oocystis Cymbella Agardh
Surirella Turpin
Pinnularia Ehrenberg
Navicula sp
Euglena
Siloam Phormidium (dominant)
Anacystis (Microcystis)
Oscillatoria
Nostroc
Nodularia
Schizothrix
Spirogyra
Anabaena sp
Lyngbya
Oocystis
Coelastrum- Nägeli
Chlorella
Cocconeis Ehrenberg Peridinium
Soutini Oscillatoria sp
Phormidium Sanedesmus sp
Clostridium
Cymbella sp
Synedra sp
Pinnularia
Navicula sp
Aulocoseira sp
Nitzschia sp
Tshipisi Oscillatoria sp
Phormidium
Pinnularia Trachelomonas
EVALUATION OF DIVERSITY ► Analysis of the community diversity of the six springs
revealed that the phyla: Cyanophytha dominated , followed by Bacillanophyta and could be detected at varying abundances in the different hot springs.
CyanophytaFamily Oscillatoriaceae Phormidium
CyanophytaFamily NostocaceaeNostroc
BacillariophytaGyrosigma Hassall
DIVERSITY STRUCTURE ► Overlaps and distinction in algae families were detectable at the hot
springs. ► Fig 2 illustrate some of overlaps and differences in bacterial families that
could be picked at the studied thermal springs
Oscillatoria sp
Anabaena sp
Oscillatoria spAnabaena sp
Soutini
Eiland 420C pH=7.63
Phormidium
NostrocLyngbyaNavicula
Cynbella
Pinnularia
Oocystis
Mphephu 430C pH=8.19
Tshipise 580C pH=8.94
Sagole 450C pH=9.24
Siloam 63oC pH=9.5
HWS Limpopo
HWS Limpopo
Bacillanophyta Chlorophyta Cyanophytha
Phormidium
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION► The preliminary identification of algae diversity in thermal
springs gave insight into the distribution and abundance of specific families in hot spring water.
► A limited diversity of phytoplankton groups were revealed, dominated by Cyanobacteria (blue– green algae) and Diatoms (Bacillariophyta).
► The diversity obtained indicates that the hot water springs harbour the same algae as commonly found in cold springs (<25o C) in South Africa such as:
► Cyanobacteria :Anabaena, Lyngbya, Nodularia, Phormidium, Schizothrix, Nostroc, Microcystis, Oscillatoria
► Cyanobacteria Phormidium, Oscillatoria, Spirogyra and Anacystis are particularly potential health risks - when their cells are ruptured they release toxic substances (cyanotoxins) into the water that may have possible toxic effect on thermal spring users.
Limitations
► This study did not characterise the algae with respect to their thermophylic , nutrient or chemical status of the thermal springs.
► The possible impact of seasonality on differences and overlaps in diversity at the hot springs needs to be determined.
► A significant number of algae families could not be identified and could not be assigned to any division. Expertise in classification of diatoms is required.
► Some thermal springs are developed and chlorinated which could influence the diversity of algae in a thermophylic environment.
PLANNING 2011/2012
► Accurate taxonomic assignment of algae with geochemistry of thermal water of Limpopo
► To determine the phytoplankton diversity of selected thermal springs in Eastern Cape and Free-state
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
►This research was supported through a grant from Water Research Commission (WRC, SA, Project K5/1959/1).
► The authors thank DWAF for their assistance with the analysis of the samples.
►The Hot Water Spring (HWS) team members are acknowledged for their involvement and support during field trips.
Thank You