Structure and Environmental Determinants of Benthic Algal Communities in the High-Mountain Lakes and Ponds Ecosystems of Kaçkar Mountains National Park, N.E. Turkey

In August 2023, the composition, diversity, and relationships with environmental factors of benthic algae in the three lakes and two ponds located in the Kaçkar Mountains National Park were investigated. The surveyed flora comprised 139 species across five taxonomic groups: Bacillariophyta (75 species), Charophyta (35), Cyanobacteria (17), Chlorophyta (8), and Euglenozoa (4). The most species-rich genera were Pinnularia (13), followed by Eunotia (10), Cosmarium (10), Staurastrum (7), and Closterium (6). Physico-chemical analyses indicated that the waters were fresh, slightly acidic, low in salinity, and free from organic pollution, which was corroborated by bioindicator species. This study provides baseline data on the composition of benthic algae and highlights the lack of significant anthropogenic impact on these habitats.