Periphyton in the Volta Lake. II. Seasonal changes on wooden blocks with depth

A seasonal study of the periphyton developed on wooden blocks suspended at five constant depths (0, 0.5, 1, 2, 5 m) in the Pawm-pawm arm of the Volta Lake is reported. The early colonizers at all depths were diatom species, they gradually declined in diversity and numbers and blue-green algae and green algae became more common. After one year the shallower (0–1 m) blocks were covered by a luxuriant growth of filamentous green algae though at lower levels diatoms predominated. Diversity and cell numbers of algae decreased with depth, this was most pronounced below 2 m. It appears that filamentous green algae eventually come to dominate wooden surfaces floating at relatively shallow depths in the Volta Lake.