DataSheet1_Limnochemistry and Plankton Diversity in Some High Altitude Lakes of Kashmir Himalaya.doc

High altitude lakes (HALs) of Kashmir Himalaya are the important ecosystems in the mountain ecology of the broader Hindukush Himalayan region. This article provides a comprehensive information about the plankton (phytoplankton and periphyton) assemblages, water quality (WQ), bathymetry, morphometry, and land use land cover (LULC) of some select high altitude mountain lakes of Kashmir Himalaya. LULC analysis revealed that the catchment of the lakes spread over an area of about 16179 ha, is covered by different land cover types dominated by pastures (50.8%), followed by barren rocky (32.6%), snow and glaciers (11.9%), lakes (2.5%), forest (2%), and streams (0.2%). Bathymetric and morphometric analysis revealed that the Gangbal Lake is the deepest (84 m) and largest (162.4 ha) among the investigated lakes. The water quality index revealed that all the HALs have the excellent water quality category. Statistical analysis (Wilk’s λ) depicted that nitrate-nitrogen (NO3−-N), nitrite nitrogen (NO2−-N), ammoniacal nitrogen (NH3-N), total phosphorus (TP), and magnesium hardness (Mg-H) are responsible for major variability between all HALs sites. The cations followed the order of Ca2+ > Mg2+ > Na+ > K+ while as anions followed the order as HCO3− > Cl− > SO42−. Algal composition (phytoplankton and periphyton) assessment revealed the presence of 61 taxa belonging to Bacillariophyceae (45), Chlorophyceae (14), Cyanophyceae (1), and Xanthophyceae (1). The higher dominance of Bacillariophyceae indicates oligotrophic nature of the lakes. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) highlighted the role of various water quality parameters like pH, EC, and TDS on the composition of phytoplankton and periphyton species among the lakes. The present study therefore generated a baseline database for some of the HALs of Kashmir Himalaya that can act as a precursor for more research on future changes in the lake ecosystems of the region.

喀喇昆仑山脉的喜马拉雅地区，其高海拔湖泊（HALs）是这一广阔喜马拉雅地区山地生态系统中至关重要的组成部分。本文全面介绍了喀喇昆仑山脉某些精选高海拔湖泊的浮游生物（浮游植物和附着生物）、水质（WQ）、水深测量、形态学以及土地利用/土地覆盖（LULC）等方面的信息。土地利用/土地覆盖分析显示，湖泊流域覆盖面积约16179公顷，主要由牧场（50.8%）、裸露岩石（32.6%）、雪和冰川（11.9%）、湖泊（2.5%）、森林（2%）和溪流（0.2%）等多种土地覆盖类型构成。水深和形态学分析表明，在所调查的湖泊中，甘巴勒湖最深（84米）且面积最大（162.4公顷）。水质指数显示，所有的高海拔湖泊均属于水质优异类别。统计分析（Wilk的λ值）描绘了亚硝酸盐氮（NO3−-N）、亚硝酸盐氮（NO2−-N）、氨氮（NH3-N）、总磷（TP）和镁硬度（Mg-H）是导致所有HALs地点之间主要差异的因子。阳离子依次为Ca2+ > Mg2+ > Na+ > K+，而阴离子依次为HCO3− > Cl− > SO42−。藻类组成（浮游植物和附着生物）评估揭示了61个属，分别属于硅藻门（45属）、绿藻门（14属）、蓝藻门（1属）和黄藻门（1属）。硅藻门的显著优势表明湖泊具有寡营养性质。典范对应分析（CCA）突出了pH值、电导率（EC）和总溶解固体（TDS）等水质参数在湖泊中浮游植物和附着生物种类组成中的作用。因此，本研究为喀喇昆仑山脉的一些HALs建立了基线数据库，该数据库可以作为未来对该地区湖泊生态系统变化进行更多研究的先导。