The identification of Algae diversity in thermal springs in northern Limpopo

PROJECT K5/1959/1

Jana Olivier, Nelia Jonker, Carin van Ginkel

September 2011

INTRODUCTION

► A large number of South African hot springs seem to be located on the Limpopo Belt, Cape Fold Belt and Namaqua-Natal belt

► Some of these thermal springs are used for recreational activities, spas and some are used domestically in rural communities.

► A number of strains of Phytoplankton/Algae are extremely toxic and when disrupted toxins are released to water.

Rational ► A major gaps exists in the identification /diversity of algae in

South African thermal springs and the evaluation for possible toxicity of thermal waters.

BacillariophytaCraticula Grunow

BacillariophytaGyrosigma Hassall

CyanophytaLyngbya Agardh

BacillariophytaCyclotella Kutzing

ChlorophytaCoelastrum Nageli

ChlorophytaChlamydomonas Ehrenberg

What are algae ?► Belong to the Kingdom

Protista and some such as Cyanobacteria are included in Kingdom Monera

► 13 Divisions of algae including green algae, diatoms, golden brown algae, blue- green algae, brown , yellow- green algae and red algae

► It includes simple photosynthetic organisms

► Algae are a vital part of ecosystems

► Provide food for other organisms

► Absorb nutrients and heavy metals

► Contains a vast array of different biochemistries, morphologies and life cycles

Bacillariophyta Cyanophyta

Aquatic organism : Rotifers feeding on algae (Siloam)

AIM 2010/2011

Geographically identify thermophylic algae diversity from hot springs in Limpopo Province

PROGRESS 2010/2011

The preliminary algae diversity of six hot water springs were determined from:

Mphephu, Sagole, Siloam and Tshipise, Soutini and the Eiland

Mphephu

SagoleTshipisiDie Eiland

Soutini

METHODOLOGYSampling

► Water samples were collected in August, 2010 from thermal springs for the morphotype identification of the species diversity properties and for phytoplankton community studies.

► Temperature, pH, electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solid (TDS) and dissolved oxygen (DO) were determined insitu while other parameters were determined in the laboratory.

Identification ► Microscopic observations

were conducted at DWAF Roodeplaat

► The samples collected were identified for morphological characteristics of the algae on Carl Zeiss 40x magnification inverted microscope

► Only features useful in generic identification were used

RESULTS ALGAE DIVERSITY

Table 1 summarise the results of the most abundant families in the six thermal springs.

Family Cyanophytha Chlorophyta Bacillanophyta Euglenophytha Dinophyta

Cyanobacteria

/Blue-green algae

Green algae Diatoms Euglenoids Dinoflagellates

Mphephu Oscillaroria sp

Anabaena sp

Phormidium

Nostroc

Lyngbya

Kirchneriella sp Diadesmus

Die Eiland Anabaena

Phormidium

Sagole Anabaena sp

Oscillatoria sp

Phormidium

Oocystis Cymbella Agardh

Surirella Turpin

Pinnularia Ehrenberg

Navicula sp

Euglena

Siloam Phormidium (dominant)

Anacystis (Microcystis)

Oscillatoria

Nostroc

Nodularia

Schizothrix

Spirogyra

Anabaena sp

Lyngbya

Oocystis

Coelastrum- Nägeli

Chlorella

Cocconeis Ehrenberg Peridinium

Soutini Oscillatoria sp

Phormidium Sanedesmus sp

Clostridium

Cymbella sp

Synedra sp

Pinnularia

Navicula sp

Aulocoseira sp

Nitzschia sp

Tshipisi Oscillatoria sp

Phormidium

Pinnularia Trachelomonas

EVALUATION OF DIVERSITY ► Analysis of the community diversity of the six springs

revealed that the phyla: Cyanophytha dominated , followed by Bacillanophyta and could be detected at varying abundances in the different hot springs.

CyanophytaFamily Oscillatoriaceae Phormidium

CyanophytaFamily NostocaceaeNostroc

BacillariophytaGyrosigma Hassall

DIVERSITY STRUCTURE ► Overlaps and distinction in algae families were detectable at the hot

springs. ► Fig 2 illustrate some of overlaps and differences in bacterial families that

could be picked at the studied thermal springs

Oscillatoria sp

Anabaena sp

Oscillatoria spAnabaena sp

Soutini

Eiland 420C pH=7.63

Phormidium

NostrocLyngbyaNavicula

Cynbella

Pinnularia

Oocystis

Mphephu 430C pH=8.19

Tshipise 580C pH=8.94

Sagole 450C pH=9.24

Siloam 63oC pH=9.5

HWS Limpopo

HWS Limpopo

Bacillanophyta Chlorophyta Cyanophytha

Phormidium

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION► The preliminary identification of algae diversity in thermal

springs gave insight into the distribution and abundance of specific families in hot spring water.

► A limited diversity of phytoplankton groups were revealed, dominated by Cyanobacteria (blue– green algae) and Diatoms (Bacillariophyta).

► The diversity obtained indicates that the hot water springs harbour the same algae as commonly found in cold springs (<25o C) in South Africa such as:

► Cyanobacteria :Anabaena, Lyngbya, Nodularia, Phormidium, Schizothrix, Nostroc, Microcystis, Oscillatoria

► Cyanobacteria Phormidium, Oscillatoria, Spirogyra and Anacystis are particularly potential health risks - when their cells are ruptured they release toxic substances (cyanotoxins) into the water that may have possible toxic effect on thermal spring users.

Limitations

► This study did not characterise the algae with respect to their thermophylic , nutrient or chemical status of the thermal springs.

► The possible impact of seasonality on differences and overlaps in diversity at the hot springs needs to be determined.

► A significant number of algae families could not be identified and could not be assigned to any division. Expertise in classification of diatoms is required.

► Some thermal springs are developed and chlorinated which could influence the diversity of algae in a thermophylic environment.

PLANNING 2011/2012

► Accurate taxonomic assignment of algae with geochemistry of thermal water of Limpopo

► To determine the phytoplankton diversity of selected thermal springs in Eastern Cape and Free-state

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

►This research was supported through a grant from Water Research Commission (WRC, SA, Project K5/1959/1).

► The authors thank DWAF for their assistance with the analysis of the samples.

►The Hot Water Spring (HWS) team members are acknowledged for their involvement and support during field trips.

Thank You