Diatoms (Bacillariophyta) as bio-indicators

Abstract

Bio-indicators such as diatoms from algae considered to be key factors in ecological studies as an assessment of freshwater ecology. Algae are very sensitive to environmental changes and reflect the spatiotemporal changes on exists or biomass of diatoms in waters. Diatoms have been used not just for the assessment of water quality, but also can be used as an organic pollution indicator in the freshwater ecosystems, such as algal water bloom. The reason for using diatoms as bio-indicators was for several characteristics such as rapid growth, and represent high biomass in the freshwater ecosystem. Also, diatoms have high biodiversity among the other aquatic biota and energy flow and cycling. Compared with the other aquatic biota, diatoms reflect ecological disturbance due to high sensitivity to light, temperature, water flow, pH, and oxygen content. Additionally, diatoms are used as an assessment of eutrophication, organic pollution and climate change.