Author(s): Guto Kerubo Carolyne,Njiru Murithi James, Getabu Albert & Gichana Moraa Zipporah
Lake Naivasha's water level increased and it merged with the Lake Oloiden; thus, forming an estuary; which may impact the water quality and phytoplankton community. The study was conducted with the aim of investigating the relationship amongst the water quality parameters and the phytoplankton along a salinity gradient in the Lakes Naivasha and Oloiden. All water quality parameters were measured insitu and phytoplankton were sampled. Lake Oloiden's water quality were significantly higher than Lake Naivasha's except for the dissolved oxygen. The pH positively correlated with all water quality parameters in the Lakes Oloiden and Naivasha except the later's dissolved oxygen. Euglenophycea negatively correlated with Cyanophycea and Bacillariophycea in the Lake Naivasha while it positively correlated with Chlorophycea and Cyanophycea and negatively correlated with Dinophycea and Bacillariophycea in the Lake Oloiden. Chlorophycea had a positive correlation with all water quality parameters in the Lakes Oloiden and Naivasha except for the dissolved oxygen in both; temperature and pH for the later. All water quality parameters had a positive association with the salinity and total dissolved solids. Rhodophycea was positively affected by the salinity and conductivity. Chlorophycea was positively affected by total dissolved solids, conductivity and salinity while Dinophycea was negatively affected by the temperature and pH in the Lakes Naivasha and Oloiden. Lake Oloiden's Cyanophycea was negatively affected with the dissolved oxygen while it's effect was positive in the Lake Naivasha.