Chemistry, ecology and seasonal succession of Charophytes in the Al-Kharj Irrigation Canal, Saudi Arabia

We surveyed (Oct. 1991–Sept. 1992) a 16.5-km-long irrigation canal in Al-Kharj City, for its water chemistry, and Charophyte periodicity and density. Marked differences occurred between the origin of a cave-lake, and the final discharge. Six species, Chara globularis, C. vulgaris f. contraria, C. vulgaris var. gymnophylla, C. vulgaris var. longibracteata, C. zeylanica, C. zeylanica var. diaphana f. oerstediana heavily encrust, as opposed to C. benthamii and C. fibrosa. The most widespread were Chara zeylanica and C. benthamii. Chara zeylanica dominated station IV for most of the study period, and ousted all its competitors, such that a 100% monospecific stand was observed here between January and February 1992. The second abundant was Chara benthamii (44%, station II). All Charophytes were seen in the month of November and December 1991, suggesting a luxuriant growth in winter.The water was calcareous, with a high amount of Mg⁺⁺ (% MathType!MTEF!2!1!+-% feaafiart1ev1aaatCvAUfeBSjuyZL2yd9gzLbvyNv2CaerbuLwBLn% hiov2DGi1BTfMBaeXatLxBI9gBaerbd9wDYLwzYbItLDharqqtubsr% 4rNCHbGeaGqiVu0Je9sqqrpepC0xbbL8F4rqqrFfpeea0xe9Lq-Jc9% vqaqpepm0xbba9pwe9Q8fs0-yqaqpepae9pg0FirpepeKkFr0xfr-x% fr-xb9adbaqaaeGaciGaaiaabeqaamaabaabaaGcbaGabmiwayaara% aaaa!36E2![bar X] = 38 mg l^–1), Ca⁺⁺ (% MathType!MTEF!2!1!+-% feaafiart1ev1aaatCvAUfeBSjuyZL2yd9gzLbvyNv2CaerbuLwBLn% hiov2DGi1BTfMBaeXatLxBI9gBaerbd9wDYLwzYbItLDharqqtubsr% 4rNCHbGeaGqiVu0Je9sqqrpepC0xbbL8F4rqqrFfpeea0xe9Lq-Jc9% vqaqpepm0xbba9pwe9Q8fs0-yqaqpepae9pg0FirpepeKkFr0xfr-x% fr-xb9adbaqaaeGaciGaaiaabeqaamaabaabaaGcbaGabmiwayaara% aaaa!36E2![bar X] = 121 mg l^–1) and reactive-Si (% MathType!MTEF!2!1!+-% feaafiart1ev1aaatCvAUfeBSjuyZL2yd9gzLbvyNv2CaerbuLwBLn% hiov2DGi1BTfMBaeXatLxBI9gBaerbd9wDYLwzYbItLDharqqtubsr% 4rNCHbGeaGqiVu0Je9sqqrpepC0xbbL8F4rqqrFfpeea0xe9Lq-Jc9% vqaqpepm0xbba9pwe9Q8fs0-yqaqpepae9pg0FirpepeKkFr0xfr-x% fr-xb9adbaqaaeGaciGaaiaabeqaamaabaabaaGcbaGabmiwayaara% aaaa!36E2![bar X] = 10.8 mg l^–1). A gradual decrease in elements/ions (Si = 12 – 8 mg l^–1, Cl^– = 357–251 mg l^–1 and CaCO₃ 390–328 mg l^–1) from source to outlet was demonstrated during June. The heavy encrustation of Charophytes is plausibly related to a high concentration of CaCO₃ (% MathType!MTEF!2!1!+-% feaafiart1ev1aaatCvAUfeBSjuyZL2yd9gzLbvyNv2CaerbuLwBLn% hiov2DGi1BTfMBaeXatLxBI9gBaerbd9wDYLwzYbItLDharqqtubsr% 4rNCHbGeaGqiVu0Je9sqqrpepC0xbbL8F4rqqrFfpeea0xe9Lq-Jc9% vqaqpepm0xbba9pwe9Q8fs0-yqaqpepae9pg0FirpepeKkFr0xfr-x% fr-xb9adbaqaaeGaciGaaiaabeqaamaabaabaaGcbaGabmiwayaara% aaaa!36E2![bar X] = 364 mg l^–1).