| Abstract: | Under the influence of the wastewaters of the potash industry the Werra river shows considerably varying salt contents (0.47 … 28.2 g/l Cl?, annual means 4.4 … 11.4 g/l Cl?) in dependence on the hydrological situation. Between 1982 and 1988 a total of 112 taxa of diatoms were observed. Of special interest is the occurrence of Stauroneis constricta (EHRENBERG) CLEVE, which is new for the river Werra. Its spreading upstream was observed. Compared with earlier findings as well as within each annual cycle there are observed clear changes in the species present and in the colonization structures in dependence on the salt content. The close relations between the salt content and the diatom communities are truly expressed by the index of halobic organisms. Diversity indices of 1.048 … 3.259 as well as values of 0.074 … 0.817 for evenness verify the imbalance of the colonization, without, however, revealing a relation to the salt content, except for variations of concentration which may be too sudden. |
