DIATOM COMMUNITY FROM EPIPHYTIC ALGAE IN DIFFERENT DEPTH SAMPLES FROM “GUR I KUQ” STATION IN OHRID LAKE

Abstract: This paper aims to present data regarding diatom community, at “Gur i Kuq” sampling site, in Lake Ohrid. Samples are collected like epiphyte in macrophyte on July 2011, in different depth from the shoreline (0.5m, 1.3m, 5m, 7m, 8.5m, 10m, 13m, 17m, 19m, 20m). There is no comprehensive and systematic review of the distribution of the endemic species in Lake Ohrid and its watershed, but probably a high number of endemic diatom species are distributed throughout the lakeFrom the microscopy examination, the most dominant species belong to pennates genera. The most abundant diatom species were: Cyclotella ocellata (Pantocsek), Achnanthes minutissima (Kützing agg.), Amphora pediculus (Kützing) Grunow, Cymbella amphicephala Naegeli, Cocconeis placentula var. placentula, Cymbella microcephala Grunow gr., Cocconeis pediculus Ehrenberg, etc., which are characterized by a specific distribution, morphological variability and ecology. Some of diatoms species were found rarely which included: Nitzschia palea var. palea (Kützing) W. Smith, Nitzschia dissipata (Kützing) Grunow, Navicula cari Ehrenberg, Gomphonema olivaceum var. olivaceum, Diatoma vulgaris Bory, etc. Individual species of diatoms have specific preference to habitat and requirement for water chemistry. In this sampling sites, Lake Ohrid, shows metal pollution, because more years ago, in this station has been active the mines of chromium, nickel and iron. The values of heavy metals are higher in the shoreline if we compare with different depth, which is reflected in the number of different species.