Section of botanical and school gardens, arboretums and botanical collections of Croatian Botanical Society, in collaboration with a number of co-organizers, organized the sixth “Week of botanical gardens, arboretums and botanical collections of Croatia” from 9th to 15th May 2016. On Tuesday, 10th and on Friday 13th of May we participated in the activities of the Week, organizing two workshops titled “Diatoms-indicators of the ecological status”. Unfortunately, spring weather forced us to move the workshop from the Botanical Garden to the laboratory of the Division of Botany of Department of Biology at Faculty of Science.
First workshop was attended by 41 pupil from elementary schools “J.J. Strossmayer” and “Ivan Gundulic”. On Friday 42 students from XV. Natural – mathematical high school and private high school “Marul” participated in the workshop.
We introduced the students to characteristics of lake ecosystems, methods of lake research and measurements of physico-chemical parameters. They had the opportunity to see samples of algae under a microscope and measure the pH of water by colorimetric method and then compare the results with data measured by the probe. In the end we used the example of our project “Diatom – descriptors of ecological status of Plitvice lakes, Croatia” to show why it is important to study diatoms and how knowledge of diatoms can be used to detect and monitor water quality.