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Abstract

Density and species composition of chironomidae larvae fauna from twelve sampling sites of Lake Uluabat (a protected wetland area) were investigated. Monthly sampling was done from August 2004 to July 2005. In addition, simultaneously, physical and chemical parameters of water were measured. 1,812 chironomid larvae were examined and a total of twelve taxa were identified. Chironomid larvae were the third dominant group consisting on average 12.3% of the total zoobenthos density. Chironomus (Camptochironomus) tentans Fabricius 1805 was the most abundant chironomid species contributing with about 66.2% of the total chironomid limnofauna. Dominant species from the lake Uluabat were the following: Tanypus punctipennis Meigen, 1818 (12 sites, 12%), Procladius choreus (Meigen, 1804) (11 sites, 10.2%), Cryptochironomus defectus (Kieffer, 1913) (10 sites, 4%), Dicrotendipes tritomus (Kieffer, 1916) (8 sites, 1.6%) and Microchironomus sp. (7 sites, 1.8%). Except Dicrotendipes nervosus (Staeger 1839) all other species occurred at <4 sites (between 0.04-0.6%). The relationships between the dynamics of the Chironomidae larvae and the limnological variables were supported by the Pearson correlation index According to Pearson correlation between the average number of Ch. (Campt.) tentans, Cryptochironomus defectus and temperature, BOD was directly proportional (P<0.05) while Paratanytarsus lauterborni, Cricotopus (Cricotopus) flavocinctus, Cricotopus (Cricotopus) tremulus was inversely proportional (P<0.05).

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“…Chironomidae was the richest family in the present study in terms of species number and was the most abundant and dominant group at many localities where pollution levels were high (Table 4). These results are consistent with the findings of Arslan, Ayık & Şahin (2010) who stated that large numbers of pollution-tolerant chironomids are often indicative of poor water quality (characterized by low dissolved oxygen and high nutrient concentrations). Similarly, Dermott, Kalff, Leggett & Spence (1977) reported that the distribution of C. anthracinus, which was one of the dominant species in Nif Stream, is positively correlated with nutrient inputs into lakes.…”

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“…The Lake Uluabat located in the western part of Turkey (40°10' N, 28°35' E) is shallow and eutrophic character with a surface area of 156 km 2 at an altitude of 9 m above sea level ( Figure 1) (Magnin and Yarar, 1997;Arslan et al, 2010). Lake is fed principally by the Mustafa Kemal Paşa River from the southwest and has its only outlet in the northwest, where it drains into Kocaçay River.…”

“…Lake is fed principally by the Mustafa Kemal Paşa River from the southwest and has its only outlet in the northwest, where it drains into Kocaçay River. The lake has an inland delta formed through incoming silt deposits from the Mustafa Kemal Paşa Stream flowing over an area of 3,747.6 hectares that is under agricultural use (Salihoğlu and Karaer, 2004;Arslan et al, 2010).…”