The Algae of Urmia Lake (Northwest Iran): a Brief Review

This study tries to review the algal assemblage of Urmia Lake in different environmental circumstances. There was an inconsistency about the phytoplankton of Urmia Lake in references. For example, Enteromorpha intestinalis a macroscopic green alga was already reported from the lake and permanently vanished in the 1990s. On the other hand, various researchers have reported different algae from different sampling sites. These variations are related to limited and irregular samplings or increased salinity during recent years, which has eliminated some intolerant species. Dunaliella salt-tolerant green alga is responsible for more than 90% of primary production in hypersaline environments. This two-flagellate unicellular alga, in Urmia Lake, composed 92.1% and 99.6% of algal population density in high-stand and low-stand periods, respectively. In drought conditions, eight species of algae were observed in Urmia Lake. Chlorophyll as an indicator of primary production was lower in Urmia Lake than in the sister Great Salt Lake. So, it can be categorized as an oligotroph lake from this point of view. This study showed the significance of an algal herbarium on the national or regional scale to record and preserve algae species that may be vanished someday from the ecosystems.