Green algae distribution in some salt lakes of the Republic of Khakassia

Abstract

The publication presents the results of a floristic study of green algae of some salt lakes in the Republic of Khakassia: Shira, Tus, Ulugkol, Altaiskoe, conducted in the period from 2006 to 2019. The lakes are located in the steppe zone within the Chebakovo-Balakhtinsky and Minusinsky basins of the Nazarov-Minusinsky intermountain depression. The mineralization of water in the lakes for the study period was: 15,9–21,9 g/l (Lake Shira); 52,7–115,07 g/l (Lake Tus); 18,3–21,7 g/l (Lake Ulugkol); 42,7 g/l (Lake Altaiskoe). The values of pH of the water lakes are alkaline – 8,2–9,8. In plankton, benthos and periphyton of 4 lakes we found 30 species of green algae belonging to 5 classes, 10 orders, 17 families, 22 genera. Cladophora glomerata and Oocystis submarina species were discovered in all the lakes surveyed. In different algae communities, along with cyanoprokaryotes and diatoms from green algae, the following species dominated: Botryococcus braunii, Chlorella chlorelloides, Cladophora glomerata, Cladophora sp., Dunaliella salina, Hindakia tetrachotoma, Oocystis submarina, Rhizoclonium hieroglyphicum, R. riparium, Spermatozopsis exsultans, Sphaerocystis planctonica. Among them, highly active species with a relative frequency of occurrence of 74–50 % were: Dunaliella salina (in lakes Ulugkol and Altaiskoe), Sphaerocystis planctonica and Oocystis submarina (in lake Ulugkol). Rare species for the flora of the region are noted: Picocystis salinarum – in lake Altaiskoe, Percursaria percursa – in the lake Tus. In relation to water mineralization, the green algae of the studied lakes belonged to the groups of indifferents, halophiles, and polygalobes.