Alequin Otero, Jennifer

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Diatoms as bioindicators of environmental conditions in freshwater wetlands of Puerto Rico, with emphasis on the least impaired sites
(2024-05-10) Alequin Otero, Jennifer; Santos-Flores, Carlos J.; College of Arts and Sciences - Sciences; Martínez Rodríguez, Gustavo A.; Montalvo-Rodríguez, Rafael R.; Department of Biology; Perea Nieves, Cristina
The main purpose of this study was to use diatom diversity and biotic indexes based on these algae as bioindicators to assess the environmental state of six wetlands in Puerto Rico that, according to a previous ARAM study, were classified as having least-impaired conditions. Four sampling stations were set in each wetland. We performed at least two sampling events per site. Diatom assemblages in these least-impacted wetlands were dominated by species of Navicula, Nitzschia, Pinnularia, Gomphonema, Tryblionella, Ulnaria, Amphora, and Diploneis. We compared our data with another set of wetlands surveyed in the same fashion but classified as impacted. A Pollution Tolerance Index (PTI) modelled in two versions and a Genus-Level Diatom Index (GDI) produced a distinction between both data sets and a water quality classification in accordance with the ARAM study for most (ten) of the wetlands.