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.

喀喇昆仑山脉的克什米尔高原高地湖泊是广袤的兴都库什-喜马拉雅地区山地生态系统中至关重要的生态系统。本文全面介绍了克什米尔喜马拉雅山脉选定的高地湖泊中的浮游生物（浮游植物和附着生物）、水质（WQ）、水深地形测量、形态测量以及土地利用和覆盖（LULC）等方面的信息。土地利用和覆盖分析显示，这些湖泊的集水区覆盖约16179公顷，其土地覆盖类型以牧场（50.8%）为主，其次为荒漠岩石地（32.6%）、雪地和冰川（11.9%）、湖泊（2.5%）、森林（2%）和溪流（0.2%）。水深地形测量和形态测量分析表明，冈巴尔湖是所调查湖泊中最深（84米）和最大的（162.4公顷）。水质指数显示，所有高地湖泊均属于优质水质类别。统计分析（Wilk的λ值）表明，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）是导致所有高地湖泊站点之间主要差异的要素。阳离子遵循的顺序为Ca2+ > Mg2+ > Na+ > K+，而阴离子则遵循HCO3− > Cl− > SO42−的顺序。藻类组成（浮游植物和附着生物）评估显示，存在61个分类单元，分别属于硅藻门（45个）、绿藻门（14个）、蓝藻门（1个）和黄藻门（1个）。硅藻门的较高优势表明这些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）等水质参数对湖泊中浮游植物和附着生物物种组成的影响。因此，本研究为克什米尔喜马拉雅山脉的一些高地湖泊生成了一个基础数据库，该数据库可以作为未来研究该地区湖泊生态系统变化的先导。