The Effect of Water Quality on the Structure and Distribution of Benthic Community and Evaluation of the Lake’s Water with Some Water Quality Indices: A Case Study of Büyük Akgöl Lake

Abstract

In Büyük Akgöl, one of the most important lakes of Sakarya province in the Marmara region of Turkey, water and benthic sampling was carried out from five stations representing the lake seasonally between 2009 and 2010. As a result of the study, a total of 8736 individuals were collected from lake and that was a total of 24 species belonging to 36 taxa were identified. The benthic fauna community structure of the lake was classified with Turkish Biological Monitoring Working Party, Average Score Per-Taxon and Pielou’s Evenness, Shannon–Wiener. According to the TR-BMWP scores were in the IV and the III class while the ASPT analysis was classified as moderate, and was as very poor. J' values ranged between 0.62 and 0.73, and H' values ranged from 1.74 to 2.14. The water quality parameters of the lake were classified as “unsuitable” by WQI and as “very polluted” according to HEI whereas the SAR, Na, and NPI were classified as ‘excellent, good and no pollution.’ According to the classification of water pollution control regulation it was showed 1st, 2nd and 3rd quality water characteristic. Pb, Hg, Al, Se, Cd concentrations and turbidity were exceeded the limit values set by WHO.