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.

克什米尔喜马拉雅地区的高海拔湖泊（High Altitude Lakes，HALs）是广义兴都库什-喜马拉雅区域山地生态系统中的重要生态系统。本文针对克什米尔喜马拉雅地区部分经遴选的高海拔山地湖泊，提供了其浮游生物（浮游植物与周丛生物）群落、水质（Water Quality，WQ）、测深、形态测量参数以及土地利用/土地覆被（Land Use Land Cover，LULC）的综合信息。土地利用/土地覆被分析显示，研究湖泊的集水区总面积约16179公顷，其覆被类型以牧场为主（占比50.8%），其次为裸岩（32.6%）、积雪与冰川（11.9%）、湖泊水体（2.5%）、森林（2%）以及溪流（0.2%）。测深与形态测量分析结果表明，在本次调研的湖泊中，冈巴尔湖（Gangbal Lake）水深最大（84米）且面积最广（162.4公顷）。水质指数（Water Quality Index，WQI）评价结果显示，所有调研的高海拔湖泊均处于优良水质等级。统计分析（威尔克λ检验，Wilk’s λ）表明：硝态氮（NO3−-N）、亚硝态氮（NO2−-N）、氨氮（NH3-N）、总磷（Total Phosphorus，TP）以及镁硬度（Mg-H）是导致各高海拔湖泊采样点间产生显著差异的主要驱动因子。阳离子浓度排序为Ca²⁺ > Mg²⁺ > Na⁺ > K⁺，阴离子浓度排序则为HCO₃⁻ > Cl⁻ > SO₄²⁻。藻类组成（浮游植物与周丛生物）调查共检出61个分类单元，其中硅藻门（Bacillariophyceae）45个、绿藻门（Chlorophyceae）14个、蓝藻门（Cyanophyceae）1个以及黄藻门（Xanthophyceae）1个。硅藻门的绝对优势度表明研究区内的湖泊整体呈现贫营养型特征。典范对应分析（Canonical Correspondence Analysis，CCA）结果凸显了pH、电导率（Electrical Conductivity，EC）、总溶解固体（Total Dissolved Solids，TDS）等多项水质参数对各湖泊内浮游植物与周丛生物群落组成的调控作用。本研究为克什米尔喜马拉雅地区的若干高海拔湖泊构建了基线数据库，可为该区域湖泊生态系统未来变化的相关后续研究提供前期基础。