ABSTRACT

The physical, chemical and biological aspects of

water pollution in Pasig River were studied in relation
to the presence of wastewater effluents from various
sources, namely domestic, industrial and urban.

Plow,

and water transparency around the zone of influence of

the effluents were not significantly affected while ammbnia and orthophosphate levels were significantly affected . Temporal changes in dissolved oxygon, ammonia,
orthophosphate and salinity were highly significant.
Precipitation influenced change in water quality by diluting and flushing pollutants out of the river into Manila
Bay.
The benthic algal communities responded to the physical and chemical conditions in the river through
changes in thier composition, abundance, diversity and
distribution.

The trends in importance value of some

species individually and with other species in the community reflected the trend in water quality specifically
in relation to concentration of dissolved oxygen levels,
orthophosphate and salinity.

Results of laboratory

experiments indicated highly significant roles of biotic

and abiotic factors on the phenomenon of algal species
dominance.