Diversity and distribution of phototrophic primary producers in saline lakes from Transylvania, Romania

摘要: Phototrophic primary producers are regarded as valuable indicators in aquatic habitats, since they spread a wide range of environmental conditions. However, the communities harbored by extreme ecosystems such saline lakes have been scarcely investigated with respect to their diversity and roles ecosystem functioning. The present study investigates structure, diversity, distribution autotrophs from 19 located Transylvanian Basin (Romania). Overall, 83 taxa were identified, belonging Bacillariophyta (67), Cyanobacteria (10), Chlorophyta (4), Euglenophyta (1), Xanthophyta (1). Standardized limnological methods employed for sampling analyses: measurements morphometric, physical chemical parameters, techniques, optical microscopy identification multivariate processing data. Because typically sustain undiversified biotic communities, usually well adapted conditions, we hypothesized that: (1) main driver taxonomic (expressed species richness) would be salinity; (2) same halophilic dominant occur all hypersaline (TDS > 50 g L−1). our results disproved both statements. Firstly, salinity was found an important but only subsequent high habitat heterogeneity, lake area nutrient concentrations. Secondly, percentages halotolerant, not found, together increased numbers rare (appearing one lake). Thus, helps improve current knowledge on lakes, opening new perspectives understanding functioning environments.