Ecological assessment of the macrophytes and phytoplankton in El-Rayah Al-Behery, River Nile, Egypt

The present study aimed to assess the effect of ecological factors on distribution and species composition of macrophytes and phytoplankton communities at El-Rayah Al-Behery. Changes in the quantitative and qualitative composition of the macrophytes and phytoplankton communities were detected in relation to season and sampling site. A total of eleven macrophytes and 100 phytoplankton species were identified. Among the macrophytes, the emergent species Echinochloa stagnina was the most dominant and widely distributed. Phytoplankton community is fairly diverse, related to 7 classes, which contains 3 main classes: Bacillariophyceae (28 taxa), Chlorophyceae (33 taxa) and Cyanophyceae (23 taxa). According to statistical analysis, occurrence of most macrophytes species were reversely affected by DO, COD, BOD and PO4; and closely correlated with NO2, NO3, Temp. and pH values. However, nitrogen and phosphorus are considered as limiting factors for bacillariohyceae growth (r = 0.7). Both temperature and pH have a positive effect on the growth of chlorophyceae (r = 0.9 and 0.8, respectively); while dissolved oxygen is an important parameter that affects on the growth of cyanphyceae (r = 0.8). In addition, existence of Myriophyllium spicatum was associated with increasing of bacillariohyceae and total phytoplankton density (r = 0.7). However, the presence of Polygonum tomentosum was intensely related with chlorophyceae (r = 0.9) and Potamogeton nodosus and Polygonum tomentosum were positively correlated with cyanphyceae. In conclusion, the investigated area was characterized by different taxonomic composition of macrophytes and phytoplankton communities, which varied as a result of changing in water physiochemical characteristics as well as the interaction between different species. Keywords: Ecological assessment, Phytoplankton, Macrophyte