Phytoplankton Community Structure and Assessment of Water Quality in the Middle and Lower Reaches of Fenhe River

To understand the distribution of phytoplankton and the water quality in the middle and lower reaches of Fenhe River,18 sampling sites were selected for specimen collection,species identification and data analysis. The results showed that: ① There were 298 species of phytoplankton under the membership of 8 divisions and 96 genera,among which,Bacillariophyta was the dominant division,with a total of 127 species of 27 genera,followed by Chlorophyta,with 104 species of 41 genera,and Cyanophyta,with 45 species of 20 genera. Only 22 species of 8 genera belonged to Euglenophyta,Cryptophyta,Pyrrophyta,Chrysophyta and Xanthophyta. The number of species in wet season was higher than that in dry season at all sites. Dominant species included Cyclotella meneghiniana,Synedra acus,Navicula cryptocephala,Nitzschia palea of Bacillariophyta,Chlorella vulgaris of Chlorophyta,Oscillatoria tenuis,O. amphibia of Cyanophyta,most of which were indicator species of α-and β-mesosaprobic type. Cell density was higher in wet season and lower in dry season. ② Shannon-Wieaver species diversity index ranged from 1 to 3 basically. Margalef species richness index ranged from 0. 5 to 2. Pielou evenness index ranged 0. 3-0. 8. ③ During the wet season,most dominant species of Chlorophyta and Euglenophyta had higher correlation with chemical oxygen demand( COD),conductivity and ammonia nitrogen. The dominant species of Cyanophyta were greatly influenced by the contents of water temperature and chromium( Cr). The distribution of dominant species of Bacillariophyta was complicatedly related with environmental factors. During the dry season,there was a higher correlation between the members of Cyanophyta and ammonia nitrogen,total phosphorus,COD. The species of Chlorophyta and Euglenophyta were mainly influenced by the dissolved oxygen and total phosphorus. The bacillariophytes were mainly related with total phosphorus, dissolved oxygen,pH and cadmium( Cd). In conclusion,the water was moderately to heavily contaminated in middle and lower reaches of Fenhe River and the water quality was eutrophic.