Diatom analysis of Edku Lake sediments to assess the Late Holocene environmental changes in northern Egypt

Document Type : Research and Reference

Authors

Geology Department, Faculty of Science, Tanta University, 31527 Tanta, Egypt

Abstract

Quantitative and qualitative diatom analyses from the Edku Lake core sediments were used to assess the environmental
history of the lake during the Late Holocene. A total of 128 diatom species and varieties were identified from 118 samples
representing of four short cores obtained from the lake. The topmost samples represent the recent time are dominant by diatom taxa
than that recorded in the lowered cores samples. Detailed diatom investigation indicated a considerable variation in the composition
and distribution of the diatom taxa among the studied cores. The non-planktonic epiphytic taxa Cocconeis placentula, Epithemia
sorex, Epithemia adnata and the benthic forms Navicula aegyptiaca, Campylodiscus biocostatus and Campylodiscus clypeus were
the most dominant species in the core sediments, which mainly reflect slightly brackish, alkaline, eutrophic shallow lake condition
during the time of deposition. Multivariate statistical analysis included hierarchical ascending clustering and Detrended
correspondence analyses were used to identify ecological groups of diatoms. The results distinguished six ecological groups that
reflect changes in the water quality, water salinity, lake-level, pH and eutrophication of the lake, which in turn may related to
climatic changes and anthropogenic impacts.

Keywords

Delta Journal of Science
Volume 38, Issue 2
December 2017
Pages 234-247

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