Diversity of macroalgal aggregations in the Jelovičko spring

Abstract

Karst springs represent one of the most important freshwater habitats due to the specific hydrological, physical and chemical characteristics as well as specific living communities which rarely could be found in other aquatic ecosystems. However, these springs are biologically very poorly investigated in Serbia. The Jelovičko spring, located in the Vidlič part of the Nature Park Stara mountain (Eastern Serbia), belongs to the group of limnocrene siphonal karst springs. Algological research of this spring was conducted in August 2018. Samples of macroscopic algal aggregations were collected and physical and chemical parameters of water were measured. Seven types of macroscopic aggregations were identified: free filaments (Paralemanea sp.), brown threads (colonies of Melosira varians and Odontidium sp.), green threads (Spirogyra sp. and colonies of Odontidium sp.; Microspora sp. and colonies of Odontidium sp.), brown gelatinous threads (colonies of Odontidium sp., M. varians, and chironomid eggs), green gelatinous threads (Tribonema sp., colonies of Odontidiumsp. and M. varians), gelatinous filaments (Batrachospermum sp.), cushion-like forms (Vaucheria sp.). This paper presents the new findings of two rare red algae of the genera Batrachospermum and Paralemanea in Serbia and the first appearance of two Rhodophyta species at the same locality in Serbian aquatic ecosystems.