Tychoplanktonic and epilithic diatom samples were taken monthly during one
year at 18 sites in small lowland rivers in the northern central region of
Portugal. Canonical correspondence analysis was used to explore the relatio
nships between measured environmental variables and patterns in the diatom
assemblages. Conductivity, HCO3-, and chemical oxygen demand (COD) were the
most significant environmental variables influencing the structure of the
tychoplankton and of the epilithon. Other less important variables, such as
K+, Fe, N(NO3-), and Na+ also explained significant (P < 0.05) amounts of
variance. The ordination diagrams showed very similar distribution of the t
ychoplanktonic and epilithic diatom samples. At sites with similar geomorph
ology as in this study, it is possible to use only one of these samples for
water quality evaluation. The optima and tolerances of some diatom taxa we
re calculated for the most influential variables. Although the diatoms show
ed high tolerances to some environmental parameters, it was possible to est
ablish groups of taxa with defined and distinctive ecological preferences.
Two species groups stood out depending on the alkalinity and mineralization
of the water. With a moderate conductivity (> 600 muS.cm(-1)), alkaline pH
, HCO3- concentrations equal or higher than 150 mg.l(-1), the first group i
ncludes Achnanthes hungarica Grunow, Amphora pediculus (Kutzing) Grunow, Ba
cillaria paxillifera (O. F. Muller) Hendey, Cymatopleura solea (Brebisson)
W. Smith, Navicula accomoda Hustedt, Navicula lanceolata (Agardh) Ehrenberg
, Navicula trivialis Lange Bertalot, Nitzschia hungarica Grunow. In waters
of lower conductivity (varying between 72 and 262 muS.cm(-1)) slightly acid
pH (6 to 6.5) and HCO3- lower than 46 mg.l(-1) the following species were
common: Achnanthes oblongella Ostrup, Achnanthes subatomoides (Hustedt) Lan
ge-Bertalot et Archibald, Cymbella gracilis (Ehrenberg) Kutzing, Cymbella n
aviculiformis Auerswald, Diatoma mesodon (Ehrenberg) Kutzing, and Eunotia e
xigua (Brebisson) Rabenhorst. Considering GOD, two further groups were dist
inguished. At high values (>40mg.l(-1)) the following taxa were observed: A
chnanthes delicatula (Kutzing) Grunow, Navicula capitata Ehrenberg var. hun
garica (Grunow) Ross, Nitzschia nana Grunow, Pinnularia interrupta W. Smith
, Thalassiosira pseudonana Hasle & Heimdal, Thalassiosira weisflogii (Gruno
w) Fryxell et Hasle. For lower values than 19 mg.l(-1) we found Cymbella na
viculiformis Auerswald, Diatoma mesodon (Ehrenberg) Kutzing, Eunotia exigua
(Brebisson) Rabenhorst, Fragilaria arcus (Ehrenberg) Cleve, and Nitzschia
epithemioides Grunow var. disputata (Carter) Lange-Bertalot. (C) 2001 Adac/
Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS.