epilithic diatom diversity in golestan waterfall

Waterfalls are considered as aquatic ecosystems,of which limited study was conductedon their biodiversity. golestan waterfallis one of the outstanding waterfallsin eastern edge of golestan national park.since no research was performed on algalflora in the area, the present study aimed toidentify the epilithic diatoms of the waterfall,as a component of this ecosystem biodiversity.the samples were collected fromstony substrates at each season. the resultsrepresented 24 genera including 47 species,which all taxa belonged to bacillariophyceae.in addition, cymbopleura with five speciesand gomphonema, and navicula withfour species had more species, respectively.further, achnanthidium minutissimum,amphipleura pellucida, cymbella affinis,cymbopleura kuelbsii, and gomphonemapumilum were determined as the most abundanttaxa. furthermore, delicatophycus verenae,stauroneis separanda and tryblionellabrunoi were found in the diatom flora ofiran for the first time. due to the few diatomstudies in iran, conducting detailed and localstudies can improve data on diatom flora ofiran.