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Abstract

The biodiversity of algal communities and environmental conditions were investigated in the springs of Mt. Konjuh. The assemblages of 20 springs emerging from different lithologies (limestones and ophiolites, respectively)
comprised 234 algal taxa. Diatoms and cyanobacteria were the most species-rich groups. The most common alkaliphilic, circumneutral, and eutraphentic diatoms were represented by the genera Gomphonema, Nitzschia, Navicula, Cymbella, and Achnanthidium, and by the cyanobacterial genus Phormidium. Hierarchical clustering and SIMPROF analysis based on relative algal abundance clustered springs into six groups, separating them mainly according to spring type and lithology. Indicator species for groups and springs on different lithological substrata were singled out, revealing 33 taxa with preferences for ophiolites, and 20 taxa with preferences for carbonates. The values of the Shannon-Wiener diversity index were moderately high per spring location, and similar for the two groups of springs on different lithologies. A higher similarity in species composition was noted between springs on ophiolites and limestones than between springs on ophiolites and other types of siliceous substrata. The present study suggests that algal assemblages in springs emerging from ophiolites, even those made up by a preponderance of silicates, should be analyzed separately from those related to springs on other siliceous substrata. The results obtained showed that most of the springs studied are affected by anthropogenic impacts and morphological alterations leading to the dominance of highly competitive meso- and eutraphentic algal species, thus emphasizing the importance of further investigation and conservation of these habitats.

Keywords

biodiversity diatoms cyanobacteria springs geological substratum ecological preferences trophic status

Article Details

Author Biographies

Jasmina Kamberovic, University of Tuzla, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Univerzitetska 4, B&H-75000, Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Department of Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University of Tuzla, Assistant Professor.

Andelka Plenkovic-Moraj, University of Zagreb, Faculty of Science, Department of Biology, Rooseveltov trg 6, HR-10000 Zagreb, Croatia

Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Full Professor.

Koraljka Kralj Borojevic, 3 Minnesota Drive, Great Sankey, Warrington, UK, WA5 3SY

PhD

Marija Gligora Udovic, University of Zagreb, Faculty of Science, Department of Biology, Rooseveltov trg 6, HR-10000 Zagreb, Croatia

Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Assistant Professor.

Petar Zutinic, University of Zagreb, Faculty of Science, Department of Biology, Rooseveltov trg 6, HR-10000 Zagreb, Croatia

Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, PhD

Dubravka Hafner, Bartulovi?i 4, HR-20357 Blace, Croatia

PhD

Marco Cantonati, MUSE - Museo delle Scienze, Limnology and Phycology Section, Corso del Lavoro e della Scienza 3, I-38123 Trento, Italy

Head of the Limnology and Phycology Research Unit within the Museo delle Scienze, Trento, Italy.
How to Cite
Kamberovic, J., Plenkovic-Moraj, A., Kralj Borojevic, K., Gligora Udovic, M., Zutinic, P., Hafner, D., & Cantonati, M. (2019). Algal assemblages in springs of different lithologies (ophiolites vs. limestone) of the Konjuh Mountain (Bosnia and Herzegovina). Acta Botanica Croatica, 78(1). Retrieved from https://www.abc.botanic.hr/index.php/abc/article/view/2116

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