Algae assemblages and relationships with some environmental parameters in two wetlands sites in western Cameroon
Samples for algal analysis were obtained through scraping or squeezing plant parts or other objects collected in the waters of two wetland sites in western Cameroon. Microscopic observations were made to identify living organisms, and to note their movement and other details that could disappear with fixation. Counts of at least 200 individuals per sample were then made on fixed samples following vertical transects randomly chosen on the slide. Identifications were made using published keys in reference documents. Floristic data obtained were submitted to Factorial Analysis. Results obtained showed that the spatial distribution of species is primarily controlled by organic pollution. The spatial variability of the organic pollution could be explained by favoured directions of water movement transporting organic pollutants, or by an irregular spatial distribution of different species of macrophytes. Occurrence in given samples of species with different ecological preferences, and the incompatibility between the species ecology known from the literature and that deduced from our field parameters, could be attributed to the short-term variability of physicochemical parameters, in relation to the local climate.