Diatom species composition of the Nišava river and its tributaries Jerma and Temska rivers (southern Serbia)

• Main Authors: Andrejić Jelena Z., Cvijan M., Krizmanić Jelena
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: University of Belgrade, University of Novi Sad 2012-01-01
• Series: Archives of Biological Sciences
• Subjects: Diatoms; Nišava River; Jerma; Temska River; species composition; Serbia
• Online Access: http://www.doiserbia.nb.rs/img/doi/0354-4664/2012/0354-46641203127A.pdf

The main objective of this paper is to report the diatom taxa identified from the Nišava River and its tributaries, the Jerma and Temska rivers. The study area included 11 sampling sites along the Nišava River, with one site on the Jerma River and one on the Temska River. Monthly samples (from stones, sediments and macrophytes) were collected from May 2008 to May 2009. Diatom frustules were cleaned with chemical agents, and mounted on permanent slides. In total, 194 diatom taxa were identified. The most species rich genera are Navicula (25), Nitzschia (17) and Gomphonema (13), while other genera are presented with one or more species. Detailed floristic analysis of the benthic diatom flora has not been conducted before on these rivers. Therefore, this paper provides a baseline for future research. [Acknowledgments. The work was supported by projects Nos. TR037009, III43002 and III45012 that are financed by the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Serbia.]