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LIMNOLOGICAL AND PHYTOPLANKTON SURVEY OF BAHIR DAR GULF OF LAKE

TANA, ETHIOPIA

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 African Journal of Science and Technology (AJST)
Science and Engineering Series Vol. 10, No. 2, pp. 91 - 98

LIMNOLOGICAL AND PHYTOPLANKTON SURVEY OF

BAHIR DAR GULF OF LAKE TANA, ETHIOPIA

1Akoma O.C. and 1Imoobe, T. O. T.

1Department of Biology , Bahir Dar University, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia.

Email [email protected]

2Department of Animal and Environmental Biology, University of Benin, Benin-City, Nigeria.

E-mail: [email protected]

ABSTRACT: Physico-chemical and phytoplankton composition of the Bahir Dar gulf of Lake Tana
were studied in the early Ethiopian summer months of June and July. Temperature ranged from 22.2
– 25 oC, water column depth, 0.96 – 4 m; Secchi transparency, 0.4 – 0.9 m; Conductivity, 152 – 232
µScm-1; pH, 7.35 – 8.48; Nitrate, 0.92 – 4.18 mgl-1; Dissolved Oxygen, 1.66 – 7.7 mgl-1 and Phosphate
0.1 - 0.22 mgl-1. A total of sixty one phytoplankton species were recorded with the following order of
dominance; Bacillarriophyta > Chlorophyta > Cyanophyta, > Dinophyta > Euglenophyta. The
inshore stations which had a preponderance of the desmids (Chlorophyta) exhibited greater number
of individuals of different species than the pelagic station which had abundance of blue greens like
genera Aphanotheca, Microcystis, Merismopedia (Cyanophyta), Peridinium (Dinophyta) and
Aulacoseira spp.(Bacillariophyta). An analysis of the physico-chemical and structural characteristics
of phytoplankton as bioindicators of lake eutrophication revealed that Lake Tana is oligotrophic.

INTRODUCTION Cocquyt et al. (1993) published a checklist of algal flora of

East African Great lakes (Malawi, Tanganyika and Victoria)
Research of freshwater lakes of East Africa has received and most recently Stoyneva et al. (2007) investigated
considerable attention in the recent past. Some of the early morphological variation in the green algae in Lake
notable limnological investigations include the Tanganyika as a response to seasonal changes.
contributions of Evans (1962), Talling and Talling (1965),
Lind (1966, 1968 and 1971), Belay and Wood (1982 and Talling (1986) reported that generally, annual patterns of
1984). Later investigations have been focused on Lake phytoplankton seasonality are usually either by
Victoria and the greater lakes in the Western Rift Valley, hydrological features (water input-output) or by
(Ochumba and Kibaara, 1989; Cocquyt et al., 1993; Kebede hydrographic ones (water-column structure and
and Belay, 1994; Kebede and Ahlgren, 1996) . circulation).

Lind (1966, 1968 and 1971) reported on East African There has been concerted effort towards the study of
desmids, the distribution of phytoplankton in some Kenyan various aspects of Lake Tana with greater emphasis on the
waters and on desmids found in several samples collected lake’s ichthyofauna especially barbs and cyprinids
from series of pools lying between Kampala-Masaka road (Nagelkerke, 1997; de Graaf, 2003 and Dejen, 2004). Records
and Lake Victoria, Uganda. Gasse (1986) also studied the of plankton composition, assemblages and seasonal
taxonomy and ecological distribution of diatoms in several variations are scanty; being briefly mentioned without
East African lakes including Lakes Awasa, Baringo, Gamari, details. Currently very little information is available on the
Mobutu, Mweru, Tana, Victoria and Ziway etc. phytoplankton and physico-chemical conditions of Lake
Tana (especially in the Bahir Dar area).

91 AJST, Vol. 10, No.2: December, 2009

 AKOMA, O. C.

Studies of the spatial and temporal variations in the expanding urban habitation and attendant effect on the
physico-chemical properties of waters in relation to the wetlands. The aim of this paper is to provide a preliminary
periodicity of primary and secondary producers, the report on the physico-chemical conditions and the
secondary consumers and bacteria are essential for an phytoplankton assemblages in the Bahir Dar gulf of Lake
evaluation of the trophic nature of an ecosystem in relation Tana with a view to document their species composition
to fisheries biology. Phytoplankton forms the very basis and spatial distribution.
of aquatic food chain. The water quality especially the
nutrients influence its population. Phytoplankton survey DESCRIPTION OF STUDY SITE
thus indicates the trophic status and the presence of organic
pollution in the ecosystem. These components are Lake Tana is located in the north-western range of the
important in determining the fisheries potential of the lake Ethiopian highlands in the Amhara region of the Federal
and for monitoring changes taking place as a consequence Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. It straddles the provinces
of human encroachment on the lake wetlands. of Gojjam and Gondar and Ethiopia’s largest lake and the
source of the Blue Nile. It is approximately 1,800 m above
There is need to document these features of the Lake Tana sea level, and a high altitude lake (Figure 1). According to
at large and specifically, the Bahir Dar gulf because of its Mohr (1961) the Tana-rift in which Lake Tana lies is a
peculiar biodiversity and the increasing threats of shallow trough which is not directly connected to the main

Figure 1: Map of River Tana showing Bahir Dar Gulf and sample stations

AJST, Vol. 10, No.2: December, 2009 92

 Limnological and Phytoplankton Survey of Bahir Dar Gulf of Lake Tana, Ethiopia

Eastern Rift Valley but is certainly related to it. From Lugol’s iodine solution. Observation and identification of
geological evidences the lake probably formed through phytoplankton to species level was done with an Olympus
volcanic blocking of the Blue Nile in early Pleistocene times. microscope (model, MJ268-24) and classification was with
Subsequently the lake basin filled up and now covers an the aid of various literature, publications and
area of approximately 3150 km2. The lake is bordered by phytoplankton manuals (Lind, 1968; Patrick and Reimer,
low plains in the north, east and south-west that are often 1975; Prescott, 1975 and Gasse, 1986). The species were
flooded in the rainy season forming extensive wetlands crosschecked with herbarium samples in the Phytoplankton
and steep rocky shores in the west and north-west Laboratory of the Botany Department of University of
(Nagelkerke, 1997). At the southernmost tip of the lake is Benin, Nigeria.
the city of Bahir Dar where the gulf extends for
approximately 10 km from the shore line. Statistical analyses using SPSS statistical package was
carried out to obtain mean and standard error values for
Samples were collected from three points in the Bahir Dar each of the physico-chemical parameters, while single factor
gulf area, i.e., two shoreline stations and one pelagic station. ANOVA was used to test significant difference between
the stations and correlation analysis was performed to
Station 1 is on the open water about 10 km from the assess the relationship between the parameters.
southernmost point of the lake at the ‘Mango Park’ in Bahir
Dar City. RESULTS

Station 2 is at the shoreline by Tana Hotel/Shum-Abo Table 1 shows the range, mean and standard error values
Resort. The shoreline vegetation comprise predominantly of physico-chemical parameters investigated at the
of the following macrophytes - Ceratophyllum demersum sampling station in the Bahir Dar gulf of Lake Tana.
L. (Ceratophyllaceae), Typha latifolia L.(Typhaceae) Generally, water temperature ranged between 22.2 and 25
oC throughout the study with the highest mean temperature
Nymphaea sp. (Nymphaeaceae), Potamogeton
heterophyllus Schreb. (Najadaceae) and Lemna sp. value (24.13±0.59 oC) recorded in station 2. There was
however no significant difference (P>0.05) in the water
Station 3 is at the shoreline by the Bahir Dar Resort area. temperature among the three sampling stations. Depth
The station is adjacent to one of the lake wetlands used ranged between 0.96 and 4 m across the sampling stations,
extensively for livestock grazing and subsistent vegetable the pelagic zone of station 1 was significantly (P<0.001)
farming. Typha latifolia and Nymphaea sp. were observed deeper than other sections of the lake in the study area.
as the dominant vegetation. Secchi transparency ranged from a minimum of 0.4 m (station
3) to a maximum of 0.9 m (station 2). Generally, the lake
MATERIALS AND METHODS water was relatively turbid at all the stations with no
significant difference (P>0.05) among the stations.
Sampling of the Bahir Dar gulf of Lake Tana was carried
out fortnightly in the early wet season months of June and Conductivity values ranged from 152 to 232µScm-1 with a
July 2007 to investigate physico-chemical conditions, and progressive increase from station 1 to station 3. Lowest
phytoplankton assemblages. Samples were collected from ionic content of the lake water was recorded at station 1
the three stations using a 3.5 liter capacity Van Dorn water (156.3±1.93 µScm-1), while the highest was recorded at
sampler. Samples were collected in triplicates at different station 3 (185.5±15.2). A weak alkaline pH range of 7.3 – 8.5
depth intervals and homogenized before physico-chemical was observed across the stations. Dissolved oxygen
analyses. Temperature, depth and Secchi disc transparency concentration values (1.667mgl-1 - 7.7mgl-1) recorded in the
were taken in-situ during the survey. Conductivity, Bahir Dar gulf of Lake Tana were significantly lower
dissolved oxygen and pH were also recorded in-situ using (P<0.05) at station 3 than other stations. The essential
a WTW water sampler probe. Nitrate and phosphate were primary productivity nutrient, nitrate was comparatively
determined colometrically using Palintest analytical kit. higher (0.92 - 4.18mgl-1) than phosphate (0.1 to 0.61mgl-1).
Nitrate concentrations were not significantly different at
Vertical plankton hauls were made at each of the sample the stations (P>0.05) while the phosphate concentration
stations using a 55µm net and immediately fixed in 1% was significantly (P<0.05) higher at Station 2.

93 AJST, Vol. 10, No.2: December, 2009

 AKOMA, O. C.

Table 1 Summary of physico-chemical properties in the Bahir Dar Gulf of Lake Tana

STATION 1 STATION 2 STATION 3 P-

PARAMETERS
Range X±SE Range X±SE Range X±SE VALUES

Temperature oC 22.2-24 23.03±0.37 23.5-24.9 24.13±0.59 23-2 5 23.7±0.44 P>0.05

Depth m 3.5- 4.00 3.73± 0.10 1.58-2.25 1.91±0.15 0.96 -1.8 1.27±0.19 P<0.001

Transparency m 0.4-0.57 0.49 ± 0.03 0.4-0.9 0.58±0.11 0.4-0.56 0.51±0.04 P>0.05

Conductivity µScm-1 152-160 156.3±1.93 1 53-165 160.5±2.72 169 -232 186.5±15.2 P>0.05

pH 8.3-8.4 8.45± 0.02 8.2-8.5 8.31±0.07 7.3-8.2 7.78 ±0.18 P<0.01

Nitrate mgl -1 0.92-3.3 1.92 ± 0.50 0.97-3.5 2.31±0.56 0.97 -4.18 2.61±0.80 P>0.05

D.O mgl -1 5.9 -7.7 6.66 ± 0.53 3.5-7.2 5.50±1.06 1.66 -5.06 2.84±1.11 P<0.05

Phosphate mgl -1 0.14-0.16 0.15± 0.03 0.22-0.61 0.43±0.11 0.1-0.18 0.15±0.03 P<0.05

Phytoplankton composition and distribution and Spirulina. Euglenophyta species recorded in the
course of the survey were Euglena acus, E. oxyuris,
Table 2 shows the composition and distribution of Phacus acuminatus, P. longicauda and P. tortus.
phytoplankton in the Bahir Dar gulf of Lake Tana. A total
of sixty one (61) phytoplankton species in five divisions The shoreline stations exhibited greater number of
namely; Bacillarriophyta, Chlorophyta, Cyanophyta, individuals of different species than the pelagic station
Dinophyta and Euglenophyta were recorded. The with a preponderance of the green algae. While species
percentage composition of the divisions is as follows; like Cymbella affinis, Eunotia flexuosa, E. monodon
Chlorophyta 39%, Bacillariophyta 38%, Cyanophyta 13%, (Diatoms), Oscillatoria princeps (Cyanophyta) and
Euglenophyta 8%, Dinophyta 2%. Among the Chlorophyta Euglena spp were totally absent from the lake open waters
the desmids were dominant and represented by species of in the pelagic station.
Closterium, Cosmarium, Euastrum and Staurastrum. Other
members of the Chlorophyta present include species of Ubiquitous species included Aulacoseira agassizi, A.
the genera Ankistrodesmus, Chlorella , Eudorina, granulata, A. granulata var. muzzanensis, Cymbella
Kirchneriella, Pedisatrum and Scenedesmus. Filamentous laceolata, Eunotia gracialis, Fragillaria brevistraita,
forms included Oedogonium and Spirogyra spp. Among Frustulia rhomboids, Navicula tenelle , Nitzschia
the Bacillariophyta the pennales were the most abundant acicularis, Rhopalodia gibba, Surirella elegans, S .
and represented by species of Cymbella , Eunotia , robusta and Synedra spp. Others are Closterium aciculare,
Fragillaria , Frustulia, Gomphonema , Navicula, Eudorina elegans, Pediastrum duplex , P. simplex ,
Nitzschia , Pinnularia , Rhopalodia , Surirella a n d Staurastrum leptocladium, Anabaena solitaris,
Synedra. Members of the Cyanophyta recorded during Aphanotheca sp., Merismopedia elegans, Oscillatoria
the survey belonged to the genera Anabaena, proboscidea, Sprirulina sp. and Peridinium sp.
Aphanotheca, Merismopedia, Microcystis, Oscillatoria

AJST, Vol. 10, No.2: December, 2009 94

 Limnological and Phytoplankton Survey of Bahir Dar Gulf of Lake Tana, Ethiopia

Table 2: Composition and distribution of phytoplankton in the Bahir Dar Gulf of Lake Tana in Ethiopia

STATION 1 STATION 2 STATION 3

BACILLARIOPHYTA
Aulacoseira agassizii Ost. + + -
A.granulata (Ehr.) Ralfs (meist) + + +
A. granulata var.muzzanensis (Meist)Bethge + + +
Cymbella affinis Kütz. - - +
C. lanceolata Ehr. Van Heurck + + +
Eunotia gracialis Choln. + + +
E. monodon Choln. - + +
E. flexuosa Kütz. - - +
Fragillaria brevistraita Grun. + + +
Frustulia rhomboides (Ehr.)De Toni + + +
Gomphonema gracile Ehr. + - -
G. parvulum Kütz + + -
Navicula tenella Breb.ex Kütz + + +
Nitzschia acicularis Smith + + +
N. obtusa Smith + - +
Nitzschia sp. + + -
Pinnularia.viridis (Nitsch.)Ehr. + - +
Rhopalodia gibba(Ehr.)O.Melles + + +
Surirella biseriata Breb. + + -
S. elegans Ehr. + + +
S. robusta Ehr. + + +
Synedra dorsiventralis O.Müller + + +
S. ulna (Nitzsch.)Ehr. + + +

CHLOROPHYTA
Actinastrum schroeteri - - +
Ankistrodesmus bibrinus + - +
Chlorella sp. + + -
Closterium aciculare T.West + + +
Cl. dianae Ehr. ex Ralfs - + -
Cl. Keutzingii Breb. +
Cosmarium decoratum W.&G.S.West - + +
C. lobatum Borge var.maius (Fritsch&Rich)Kriegeri & Gerloff - + +
C. hammeriReinsch. var. africanum Frisch & Rich - + -

95 AJST, Vol. 10, No.2: December, 2009

 AKOMA, O. C.

Table 2: (continued)

STATION 1 STATION 2 STATION 3

CYANOPHYTA
Anabaena solitaris + + +
Aphanotheca sp. + + +
Merismopedia elegans A.Br. ex Kütz. + + +
Microcystis aeruginosa Kütz. + + +
Oscillatoria princeps Vauch.ex Gom. - + -
O. proboscidea Gomont + + +
Oscillatoria sp. + + +
Spirulina sp. + + +

EUGLENOPHYTA
Euglena acus Ehrenberg - + +
E. oxyuris Schmarda - + +
Euglena sp. - + -
Phacus acuminatus Stokes + + +
Ph. longicuada (Ehr.) Dujard. + - +

DINOPHYTA
Peridinium sp. + + +

(+) Present (-) Absent

DISCUSSION from the marshland and wetland especially at station 3.

Conversely, dissolved oxygen content was higher in the
The present study was carried out in the early months of open water and lowest at station 3, the shallow depth of
the Ethiopian summer (June and July), characterized by the shoreline and the decomposition of plant and animal
heavy rainfall and flood, which resulted in the relatively remains seriously depleted the oxygen content to as low
low Secchi transparency that was observed across the as 1.66 mgl-1 in Station three. Although anoxia was not
stations. The obvious difference between the water depth observed at this station, the continued invasion of the
at station 1 and the other two stations is expected because adjacent wetland by grazing cattle and early wet season
stations 2 and 3 were located along the shoreline while farming could drastically impact on the quality of the lake
station 1 was at the pelagic zone of the lake. water. The possible entry of organic matter during runoff
from the surrounding urban areas and agricultural fields
Water temperature was within the range of variation and their decomposition contributed to the low levels of
observed in most tropical water bodies (John, 1986). dissolved oxygen in the shoreline station 2 and 3.
Conductivity values were low an indication of the low ionic According to the UN-World Water Development Report
concentration of the lake and that of the inflowing rivers. (2003), a healthy and unpolluted natural environment is
There was observed trend of higher conductivity values essential to human well-being and sustainable
at the shoreline than in the open water, though this was development, stressing that the aquatic ecosystems and
not significant it is attributable to influx of dissolved solutes their dependent species are an integral part of our lives

AJST, Vol. 10, No.2: December, 2009 96

 Limnological and Phytoplankton Survey of Bahir Dar Gulf of Lake Tana, Ethiopia

and provide resource base that help us to meet a multitude progressed and nutrient concentration reach seasonal
of human and ecosystem needs. Changes in the physico- peak, all taxa are favored, but the Cyanophyta are dominant
chemical characteristics of water bodies and the influence in the lake open water as a result of other phytoplankton
this has on the phytoplankton assemblages have been groups suffering disproportionate higher losses (Agusti
well documented for several rivers and lakes (Chakrabarty et.al. 1990). It was observed that the inshore stations (with
et al., 1959, Holden & Green 1960, Ganf 1974, Reynolds swallow depth, low photic zone coupled with low mixing
1984, 1998, Bucka & Zurek 1992, Chakrapani et al.1996, depth and the fact that more nutrients enter the lake from
Sukumaran & Das 2002, Akin-Orinola 2003). Ionic the adjacent wetland, especially in station 3) presented
composition and concentration of exchangeable bases are quite distinct conditions different from the lake open water,
quite low in the lake as could be attested to by the and therefore responsible for the different phytoplankton
conductivity and pH results. Being a high altitude crater assemblages.
lake, Lake Tana is oligotrophic.
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