A PRELIMINARY LIMNOLOGICAL INVESTIGATION OF TWELVE SOUTHERN AFRICAN GEOTHERMAL WATERS |
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| Authors: | P J Ashton F R Schoeman |
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| Institution: | National Institute for Water Research , Council for Scientific and Industrial Research , P.O. Box 395, Pretoria, 0001, South Africa |
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| Abstract: | SUMMARY The ionic composition and algal flora of twelve geothermal waters in southern South West Africa and north-western South Africa are described, many for the first time. Water temperatures ranged from 24,9 to 66 °C and salinity values indicated moderate mineralization. A trend of increasing sodium and sulphate dominance with increasing water temperature was evident. Green algae were confined to springs with low water temperatures (below 31 °C) while diatoms and blue-green algae were recorded in all the springs, at temperatures up to 66 °C. Flexibacteria (Chlcroflexus) were recorded only in the hotter springs, above 40 °C. |
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| Keywords: | Thermal springs artesian boreholes ionic composition green algae diatoms blue-green algae South West Africa South Africa |
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