Non-Diatom Algae of the High Mountain Protected Lakes in the Artabel Lakes Nature Park, Gümüşhane, Turkey

For the first time, we studied 18 lakes of the Artabel Lakes Nature Park and revealed 154 species of non-diatoms algae from four taxonomic Divisions. Charophyta (73 taxa) prevails in the flora and mainly represented by the genus Cosmarium (37). Cyanobacteria (42), Chlorophyta (30) and Eunlenozoa (9) are also present. New records for the Turkish algae flora are represented by 31 taxa, most of which belong to Cosmarium (15) and Staurastrum (5). Rare species from benthic cyanobacteria were revealed in communities of the Artabel Lake. Statistical methods revealed a high individuality of the algae communities and divided it into two major group: Acambol–Yıldız, and Beş–Artabel, which belong to different River Basins. The altitude of the lakes appears to be the major environmental variable that controls the non-diatom algal diversity. Bioindication characterized the water of studied lakes as temperate by temperature, middle saturated with oxygen, neutral to low acidic pH, low saline, Class 2–3 of Water Quality and mesotrophic.