Factors affecting diatom distribution in floodplain lakes of the southeast Murray Basin,Australia and implications for palaeolimnological studies

Diatom assemblages of surface sediments in 46 billabongs from four river floodplains in the southeast Murray-Darling Basin, Australia were sampled to investigate drivers of species distribution. The principal purpose of the study was to derive information to aid interpretation of diatom-based palaeoecological studies of these systems and of floodplain lakes more generally. Patterns in billabong diatom assemblages in relation to river reach, hydrology and farming intensity on surrounding land were examined, as were correlations with water quality variables. Seasonal variation in billabong water quality was high relative to spatial variation, and spatial patterns in billabong water quality were weak. In contrast, strong patterns were evident in diatom assemblages. Three main patterns were observed: (1) a distinction between billabongs dominated by planktonic diatoms from those dominated by benthic and attached forms; (2) differences in diatom assemblages in billabongs on different river reaches; and (3) differences in assemblages in billabongs with different hydrology. Of all water quality variables tested, total phosphorus (TP), total nitrogen (TN) and pH exerted the strongest independent influence on diatom distribution; however, only TP remained an important variable when species variation due to river reach, hydrology, and aquatic plant cover was taken into account. The weak influence of water quality on diatom distribution is interpreted as reflecting the dichotomy between plankton and non-plankton-dominated billabongs, the influence of hydrology and biogeography, the lack of strong spatial water quality gradients and the high degree of temporal variability in water quality. The findings show that diatom records from billabong sediments can provide evidence of long-term changes in the abundance of aquatic macrophytes and hydrology. They also suggest that merging calibration data sets across regions for the purpose of improving diatom transfer functions for water quality reconstruction is of limited value for floodplain lakes, and that performance is more likely to be gained by boosting site numbers within regions.     

Diatoms in sediments of perennially ice-covered Lake Hoare, and implications for interpreting lake history in the McMurdo Dry Valleys of Antarctica

Diatom assemblages in surficial sediments, sediment cores, sediment traps, and inflowing streams of perennially ice-covered Lake Hoare, South Victorialand, Antarctica were examined to determine the distribution of diatom taxa, and to ascertain if diatom species composition has changed over time. Lake Hoare is a closed-basin lake with an area of 1.8 km², maximum depth of 34 m, and mean depth of 14 m, although lake level has been rising at a rate of 0.09 m yr^-1 in recent decades. The lake has an unusual regime of sediment deposition: coarse grained sediments accumulate on the ice surface and are deposited episodically on the lake bottom. Benthic microbial mats are covered in situ by the coarse episodic deposits, and the new surfaces are recolonized. Ice cover prevents wind-induced mixing, creating the unique depositional environment in which sediment cores record the history of a particular site, rather than a lake-wide integration. Shallow-water (<1 m) diatom assemblages (Stauroneis anceps, Navicula molesta, Diadesmis contenta var. parallela, Navicula peraustralis) were distinct from mid-depth (4–16 m) assemblages (Diadesmis contenta, Luticola muticopsis fo. reducta, Stauroneis anceps, Diadesmis contenta var. parallela, Luticola murrayi) and deep-water (26–31 m) assemblages (Luticola murrayi, Luticola muticopsis fo. reducta, Navicula molesta). Analysis of a sediment core (30 cm long, from 11 m water depth) from Lake Hoare revealed two abrupt changes in diatom assemblages. The upper section of the sediment core contained the greatest biomass of benthic microbial mat, as well as the greatest total abundance and diversity of diatoms. Relative abundances of diatoms in this section are similar to the surficial samples from mid-depths. An intermediate zone contained less organic material and lower densities of diatoms. The bottom section of core contained the least amount of microbial mat and organic material, and the lowest density of diatoms. The dominant process influencing species composition and abundance of diatom assemblages in the benthic microbial mats is episodic deposition of coarse sediment from the ice surface.     

Diatom assemblages and water depth in Lake 239 (Experimental Lakes Area,Ontario): implications for paleoclimatic studies

Diatom assemblages in surface sediments were sampled along three transects in Lake 239, from the Experimental Lakes Area (NW Ontario), and analyzed in order to explore the relationship between modern species distributions and water depth. Approximately 170 diatom species were identified in surficial sediments at lake depths from 2 to 30 m. The species composition varied with sample depth but remained highly similar across all three transects. The main patterns of variation in the diatom assemblages across transects, derived from a detrended correspondence analysis (DCA), showed that assemblages were highly correlated (r = 0.97 to 0.98). At depths > 8 m the pattern of predominantly benthic composition changed to a planktonic assemblage dominated by Cyclotella stelligera. This depth currently corresponds to the depth of 1% light penetration as assessed from extinction coefficient measurements. Diatom species diversity increases with the switch to the near-shore benthic taxa in all three transects. Additionally, there is a large decrease in the ratio of chrysophyte scales to diatoms at depths < 8 m. Light transmission data from wet and dry periods over the last 35 years suggests that during dry periods the extent of the littoral zone should change by over 2 m. We suggest that cores along a transect from 8 to 14 m should provide a highly sensitive location for detailed paleoclimatic study.     

The net phytoplankton in Kongsfjorden, Svalbard, July 1988, with general remarks on species composition of arctic phytoplankton

Examination of 17 samples collected by a 20 μm meshed meshed net in Kongsfjorden, Svalbard, 8–19 July 1988, showed a dominance of dinoflagellates and the chrysophyte Dinobryon Balticum in the surface layers, whereas the diatom and the haptophyte Phaecystis pouchetii abundance increased with depth. The diatom Pseudo-nitzschia granii appeared together with P. pouchetii through the whole water column, and Actinocyclus curvatulus was one of the few diatoms present also in the surface samples. Two samples, from 15 and 50 m, respectively, were cleaned of organic material and mounted in Naphrax for a more critical identification of the diatoms. We were able to group the species according to habitats, especially types of ice. The planktonic Thalassiosira antarctica var. borealis, T. hyalina, T. nordenskioeldii, Bacterosira bathyomphaia, Chaetoceros furcellatus, C. socialis and Fragilariopsis oceanica were present mainly as resting stages representing a post-bloom situation. These species and T. gravida appear early in the season and may have started to grow already under the ice. Fragilariopsis cylindrus and F. oceanica seem to have a closer affinity to ice than Thalassiosira and Chaetoceros spp. although they are common in the plankton. Some Nitzschia species which are usually regarded as typical sea-ice diatoms and have thicker and older ice as the main habitat were present only in small cell numbers in the plankton samples. The last component, evidently introduced from Atlantic water in the Norwegian Sea, consisted of diatoms with a more oceanic distribution, e. g. Fragilariopsis pseudonana and a small form of Thalassiosira bioculata .     

Siliceous microfossil succession in the recent history of Green Bay,Lake Michigan

Quantitative analysis of siliceous microfossils in a ²¹⁰Pb dated core from Green Bay of Lake Michigan shows clear evidence of eutrophication, but a different pattern of population succession than observed in the main deposition basins of the Great Lakes. Sediments deposited prior to extensive European settlement (ca A.D. 1850) contain high relative abundance of chrysophyte cysts and benthic diatoms. Quantity and composition of microfossils deposited during the pre-settlement period represented in our core is quite uniform, except for the 30–32 cm interval which contains elevated microfossil abundance and particularly high levels of attached benthic species. Total microfossil abundance and the proportion of planktonic diatoms begins to increase ca 1860 and rises very rapidly beginning ca 1915. Maximum abundance occurs in sediments deposited during the 1970's, with a secondary peak in the late 1940's — early 1950's. Increased total abundance is accompanied by increased dominance of taxa tolerant of eutrophic conditions, however indigenous oligotrophic taxa, particularly those which are most abundant during the summer, are not eliminated from the flora, as in the lower Great Lakes. It appears that a combination of silica resupply from high riverine loadings and replacement of indigenous populations by periodic intrusions of Lake Michigan water allow sequential co-existence of species usually exclusively associated with either eutrophic or oligotrophic conditions.     

Relationships between hydrological and limnological conditions in lakes of the Slave River Delta (NWT,Canada) and quantification of their roles on sedimentary diatom assemblages

Water chemistry and surface sediments were analyzed from 41 shallow lakes representing three previously-defined hydrological categories in the Slave River Delta, Northwest Territories, Canada, in order to identify relationships between hydrological and limnological conditions and their associations with recently deposited diatom assemblages. Evaporation-dominated lakes are physically removed from the influence of the Slave River, and are characterized by high alkalinity and high concentrations of nutrients and ions. In contrast, flood-dominated lakes tend to receive a pulse of floodwater from the Slave River during the spring thaw and have low alkalinity and low concentrations of most nutrients and ions. Exchange-dominated lakes are variably influenced by floodwaters from the Slave River and seiche events from Great Slave Lake throughout the spring thaw and open-water season, and are characterized by a broad array of limnological conditions that are largely dependent on the strength of the connection to these sources of floodwater. Specific diatom ‘indicator’ taxa have been identified that can discriminate these three hydrological lake categories. Evaporation-dominated lakes are associated with high relative abundance of common epiphytic diatom taxa, while diatoms indicative of flood- and exchange-dominated lakes span a wide range of habitat types (epiphytic, benthic) but also include unique planktonic diatoms (Stephanodiscus and Cyclostephanos taxa) that were not found in surface sediments of evaporation-dominated lakes. The planktonic diatom taxa originate from the Slave River, and thus are indicative of river influence. In complex, remote, freshwater ecosystems like the Slave River Delta, integration of results from hydrological and limnological approaches provides a necessary foundation to assess present, past and future hydroecological responses to changes in river discharge and climate.     

On the presence of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Stephanodiscus niagarae</Emphasis> Ehrenberg in central Mexico

Stephanodiscus niagarae is frequently reported from late Pleistocene (>10,000 yr BP) sediments in central Mexico, with lower abundances through the Holocene. Its presence in Holocene and modern environments in central Mexico was not well documented until our study, where we report on three populations of S. niagarae, one middle Holocene population with particularly high abundance from the Upper Lerma Basin, and two modern sites, Valle de Bravo and Santa Elena. The three sites are located in the same geographical area, in the State of Mexico. The fossil material dates to ca. 6600–4900 yr BP, with S. niagarae reaching up to 90% of the diatom counts. Stephanodiscus niagarae is present in association with Fragilaria pinnata, F. brevistriata, and Aulacoseira granulata. In Valle de Bravo (ca. 30 m deep) S. niagarae is present in very low numbers in water column and surface sediments samples (<1%); the diatom assemblage is dominated by Fragilaria crotonensis in association with A. granulata, A. granulata var. curvata and Cyclotella ocellata. In Santa Elena, a shallow, intermittent irrigation channel, S. niagarae is the second most abundant alga; the diatom assemblage is dominated by S. niagarae in association with A. granulata, A. granulata var. curvata and F. crotonensis. Both modern sites show a trend to eutrophy and these diatom assemblages are taken as indicative of this trend. It is suggested researchers should be cautions when the presence of S. niagarae in sedimentary records is taken as indicative of deep waters conditions, as the present data show that this species can thrive in rather shallow environments in Mexico.     

Interaction between a river and its wetland: evidence from the Murray River for spatial variability in diatom and radioisotope records

Sinclair Flat is small wetland, located within the gorge section of the Murray River floodplain. situated near Blanchetown, South Australia, the wetland is closely linked to the River and, since regulation, has become permanently inundated. High summer evaporation rates deplete the volume of water within the wetland. However, this is compensated by perennial inflow via a permanent inlet from the River. This site provides an opportunity to explore the relative contribution of river and wetland diatom flora to the sediment record, and the fluvial and aerial contribution of radiometric isotopes to the system. The geochronological and biostratigraphic data provide an insight into the history of the water quality of Sinclair Flat. Evidence exists for the River being a source of sediments and isotopes and of diatom species typical of the main river channel. Prior to 1950, Sinclair Flat was an oligotrophic, oligosaline, clear-water wetland. The wetland shifted gradually to an environment that favoured clear-water benthic species, most likely as a consequence of changes following river regulation in the 1920s, although the capacity to date these sediments is limited. During the 1950s, the wetland became plankton dominated. Peaks in epiphytic diatoms during the 1960s suggest increased emergent macrophyte cover. The contemporary condition is of a connected, turbid, eutrophic and mesosaline lagoon. The ecological condition of Sinclair Flat has diverged considerably from its historical range of condition. This record supports evidence from upstream of widespread state switches in the Murray–Darling Basin floodplain wetlands. This record also lends considerable weight to modern studies attesting to the degraded state of the waterways of the Murray–Darling Basin and the impact of river regulation practices on the water quality of these ecosystems.     

The use of sedimentary algal pigments to infer historic algal communities in Lake Apopka,Florida

The primary producer community of Lake Apopka, a large (125 km²), shallow (mean depth, 1.7 m), polymictic Florida lake, shifted from macrophyte dominance to phytoplankton dominance in the 1940s. Today, frequent wind resuspension of highly organic, unconsolidated sediments supports a meroplanktonic community that is predominantly diatoms, but during calm periods the algal community is dominated by planktonic cyanobacteria. Sedimentary algal pigments (chlorophyll derivatives and carotenoids) and chemical proxies for nutrient enrichment (polyphosphate, total phosphorus and biogenic silica) in three sediment cores were used to investigate historic changes in primary producers. Sediments were separated into three stratigraphic zones using multivariate statistical techniques. Stratigraphic zonation was established in each core although sediment deposition at one site was insufficient to adequately resolve temporal changes. These results show the importance of selecting suitable sites for paleolimnological studies. The oldest zone represents macrophyte-derived sediments, and the two overlying zones represent phytoplankton-derived sediments deposited since the 1940s. Algal pigments in the most recent sediment zone show little degradation, which might be due to the presence of viable meroplankton in the sediment. After the initial primary producer shift from macrophytes to phytoplankton, the lake experienced a short period of cyanobacterial dominance followed by a period of benthic diatom abundance before being replaced by the present algal community consisting of cyanobacteria and meroplanktonic diatoms. Chlorophyll derivatives and carotenoids were highly correlated with total phosphorus. Historic trends inferred from the data include algal and cyanobacterial productivity that increased with increased phosphorus loading. The study demonstrates that valid paleolimnological proxies for historic eutrophication are available in loosely consolidated sediments of shallow, subtropical lakes.     

The representation of diatom communities by fossil assemblages in a small acid lake

The representative quality of fossil diatom assemblages in the recent sediment of a lake is compared with its contemporary diatom flora. In April 1986 experimental liming of the catchment of a small acidified lake, Loch Fleet (Galloway, U.K.), produced immediate changes in water quality. Lakewater pH rose from a mean of approximately 4.5 to 6.5, and in the two year period following liming a consistently higher pH was maintained. The marked response of diatom species to changing water quality provided a means of tracing events from living communities to the fossil assemblages. Diatom periphyton and plankton were sampled during a 20 month period and archived material was used to characterise earlier diatom communities. A comparison is made between living diatom communities and diatom assemblages collected by sediment traps and from sediment cores taken during the same period.Following liming, the diatom communities were found to respond within days or weeks to the changes in water quality. There is an initial change from acidobiontic communities, dominated byTabellaria quadriseptata, to dominance by the acidophilous speciesEunotia incisa andPeronia fibula. However, in the epipsammic community the acidobiontic speciesTabellaria binalis fo.elliptica remains abundant after liming. Approximately one year after liming the abundances of species such asAchnanthes minutissima andBrachysira vitrea increase in the epilithon, epiphyton and epibryon, whilst in the epipsammonT. binalis fo.elliptica is replaced by smallEunotia spp. andAchnanthes altaica. During the latter part of 1987 and in 1988, despite a stable pH, fluctuating patterns of species abundances are seen in the epilithon, epiphyton and epibryon whilst the species composition of the epipsammon remains relatively stable. Spring blooms of the planktonic speciesSynedra acus andAsterionella formosa occur during 1988 and 1989 respectively.Sediment trapping, which began in April 1987, records shifts in species composition corresponding with those seen in the epilithon, epiphyton and epibryon and with the blooms of planktonic species. The signal from the smaller, and probably less easily transportable, epipsammic community is not so clearly discernible. Although the fundamental record of the sediment traps is one from living diatom communities, the appearance of taxa extinct during the post-liming period reflects a low, but significant level of sediment resuspension.In contrast to the rapid response of living communities and their record in sediment traps, sediment cores do not begin to reflect changes in diatom composition until about 14 months after the initial liming. The first appearance of circumneutral taxa in significant abundance occurs only approximately 17 months after liming. The delayed reaction of sediment assemblages cannot be attributed principally to a slow rate of transport from the littoral to the profundal zone. Time-averaging processes within the sediment appear to be the main cause of the lag in core response. In contrast, blooms of planktonic species are quickly reflected in the stratigraphy of cores, but indicate that a considerable degree of downward mixing occurs. Comparison of the time trajectories of whole species assemblages in living communities, sediment traps and core surface sediments shows that the direction of change is similar in all three, but that the magnitude of change is attenuated in sediment assemblages.     

Paleolimnology of McNearney lake: an acidic lake in northern Michigan

McNearney Lake is an acidic (pH=4.4) lake in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan with low acid neutralizing capacity (ANC=-38 eq L^-1) and high SO _inf4 ^sup2- and aluminium concentrations. Oligotrophy is indicated by high Secchi transparency and by low chlorophyll a, total phosphorus, and total nitrogen concentrations. The lake water is currently acidic because base cations are supplied to the lake water at a low rate and because SO _inf4 ^sup2- from atmospheric deposition was not appreciably retained by the lake sediments or watershed and was present in the water column.This interdisciplinary paleolimnological study indicates that McNearney Lake is naturally acidic and has been so since at least 4000 years B.P., as determined from inferred-pH techniques based on contemporary diatom-pH relationships. Predicted pH values ranged from 4.7 to 5.0 over the 4000-year stratigraphy. Considerable shifts in species composition and abundance were observed in diatom stratigraphy, but present-day distributions indicate that all abundant taxa most frequently occur under acidic conditions, suggesting that factors other than pH are responsible for the shifts. The diatom-inferred pH technique as applied to McNearney Lake has too large an uncertainly and is not sensitive enough to determine the subtle recent changes in lakewater pH expected from changes in atmospheric deposition because: (1) McNearney Lake has the lowest pH in the contemporary diatom data set in the region and confidence intervals for pH predictions increase at the extremes of regressions; (2) other factors in addition to pH may be responsible for the diatom species distribution in the lake and in the entire northern Great Lakes region; (3) McNearney Lake has a well-buffered pH as a consequence of its low pH and high aluminium concentrations and is not expected to exhibit a large pH change as a result of changes in atmospheric deposition; and (4) atmospheric deposition in the region is modest and would not cause a pH shift large enough to be discernable in McNearney Lake.Elevated atmospheric deposition is indicated in recent sediments by Pb, V, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon accumulation rates and to a lesser extent by those of Cu and Zn; however, these accumulation rates are substantially lower than those observed for acidified lakes in the northeastern United States. Although atmospheric loadings of materials associated with fossil fuel combustion have recently increased to McNearney Lake and apparently are continuing, the present study of the diatom subfossil record does not indicate a distinct, recent acidification (pH decrease).Order of the first two authors is alphabetical     

The eutrophication history of a tropical water supply reservoir in Brazil

Guarapiranga Reservoir is the second most important public water supply in São Paulo, Brazil and has been eutrophic for several decades. We inferred the major ecological shifts for the period 1919–2010 related to multiple stressors (forest flooding, hydrological change, use of algicide and eutrophication), using geochemistry (TOC, TN, TP, C/N, δ¹⁵N, δ¹³C) and diatom assemblages in a short (75-cm) sediment core. Thirty-two diatom species were abundant in the core and stratigraphically constrained incremental sum of squares analysis enabled identification of three diatom zones and four subzones, i.e. depths at which marked changes in species composition occurred. Early diatom assemblages were dominated by benthic, oligotrophic taxa, mainly Eunotia, influenced by flooded vegetation after dam construction. A shift to dominance by a planktonic species (Eunotia tukanorum) occurred ca. 1932, during the period of initial physical disturbance and early use of the water body as a public water supply. Diatoms and geochemical variables show that the reservoir was oligotrophic from ~1919 to 1947. Eutrophication began ~1975 and by the early 1980s the reservoir had become eutrophic, in response to an explosive increase in human population in the watershed. Severe cultural eutrophication has persisted since ~1990. Higher concentrations of copper in the sediments, beginning in 1991, reflect the increased use of copper sulfate to control cyanobacteria blooms and provide a chronological marker. Higher δ¹⁵N values in recent sediments indicate greater sewage inputs and low C/N values reflect the predominant contribution of algae to sediment organic matter. Eutrophic taxa Cyclotella meneghiniana and Nitzschia sp. dominate recent diatom assemblages, along with Aulacoseira granulata, a species that is tolerant of copper sulfate. Diatom assemblages reflect multiple stressors, however, geochemical information provides a better understanding of the early phase of the reservoir. Paleolimnologically documented trophic state changes in this important drinking water supply are largely attributable to increased urbanization of the drainage basin and inputs of sewage. Management efforts should focus on mitigating this nutrient source.     

Water-level variations in Lake Nhauhache, Mozambique, during the last 2,300?years

Stratigraphic variations in diatom composition and phytolith abundance in a sediment core from a small, hydrologically isolated waterbody, Lake Nhauhache, Mozambique, provide evidence of water-level fluctuations over the past ~2,300?years. Ten AMS radiocarbon dates on bulk sediment samples show that the lake came into existence about 2,300?years ago and that it has dried out since then, but only for brief time periods. Changes in the diatom assemblage composition indicate that lake level fluctuated in response to shifting humidity conditions. The changes reflect wetter conditions ca. 300 BC?CAD 800, more variable conditions between AD 800 and 1150, a distinct dry phase within the time span AD 1150?C1700 and a return thereafter to more humid conditions until present. There is general agreement between the Lake Nhauhache record and other records from the Southern Hemisphere summer rainfall region. This suggests that sediments from small interdunal lakes, which are abundant along the coast of southern Africa, provide reliable, regional paleoenvironmental information about an area from which more such data are needed.     

The misrepresentation of the planktonic diatom assemblage in traps and sediments: southern Lake Malaŵi,Africa

Sediment trap collections near Cape Maclear, Lake Malai, were compared to phytoplankton and surface sediment diatoms to assess taphonomic variations. The sedimenting diatom community became progressively different from the diatom plankton with increasing depth: long Nitzschia species were strongly under-represented in the traps (annually, 53% among planktonic diatoms vs. 14% in the offshore 29 m trap; p0.005 by Kruskal-Wallis test), while Melosira was greatly over-represented in traps (32% vs. 57%; p<0.005). The abundances of the minor taxa (Rhopalodia, Fragilaria, Cymbella, and Surirella) were greatly enhanced in traps relative to the plankton, but they were still relatively uncommon (<3% of all diatoms each). Differences in grazing, dissolution, and sinking rates alone are insufficient to account for these distortions; a combination of these, plus perhaps unknown factors, strongly influence the deposited assemblage.These misrepresentations were also present at the sediment surface. The greatest discrepancy was noted for Melosira (32% of plankton vs. 53% of sediment surface diatoms; p<0.005) and for elongate Nitzschia species (53% of plankton vs. 0.8% in sediments; p<0.005). In Lake Malai, at least, paleolimnologists must not assume a straightforward correlation of modern and fossil assemblages.     

A diatom record of environmental change in Fryxell Basin,Taylor Valley,Antarctica, late Pleistocene to present

We present a diatom record from a sediment core taken in Lake Fryxell, Taylor Valley, Antarctica. Six zones were defined using diatom assemblage changes that indicate varying limnological conditions. The early lake stage, ca. 35,000 cal years BP, is characterized by Mayamea atomus f. permitis, a species rarely reported in modern Antarctic Dry Valley environments. An extended period from ca. 35,000 to 19,000 cal years BP is characterized by low diatom abundance, with dominant taxa Luticola spp., Muelleria spp., and Diadesmis contenta. The modern assemblage was established ca. 13,000 cal years BP, after two relatively brief transitional stages. One key species for this recent period, Navicula lineola var. perlepida, is absent in surface sediments and the modern environment, indicating an environmental change within the last several centuries. The diatom assemblage is compared to modern diatom communities in Dry Valley streams, which provide the most complete information on diatom distributions in this region. Although precise environmental interpretation of the core is hampered by limited knowledge of environmental constraints on many of the diatom taxa present in the lake core, the data provide important new insights into the history of Glacial Lake Washburn.     

Lake-Sediment Records of Recent Environmental Change on Svalbard: Results of Diatom Analysis

Surface sediments from 23 lakes on Svalbard were analysed for diatoms. About 182 taxa were found but samples generally have a low richness, with the majority of sites dominated by benthic genera such as Fragilaria, Navicula, and Achnanthes. Centric Cyclotella species occur at only three sites. Modern relationships between diatom abundance and water chemistry and other environmental variables were explored numerically and a preliminary transfer function for pH was developed. Lakes fell into three groups on the basis of their diatom assemblages: (1) high pH, high cation, high conductivity sites characterised by Amphora libyca, (2) shallow sites with relatively high nutrient values characterised by Fragilaria species, and (3) more acid and dilute sites with high amounts of snow cover in the catchments characterised by small Achnanthes species and Navicula digitulus. Five sediment cores representing the recent past were also analysed for diatoms. Three shallow sites were dominated by Fragilaria species throughout the period represented by the cores and no shifts in inferred pH were found. At two deeper sites (Arresjøen, Birgervatnet) major assemblage shifts are found which are unrelated to independent evidence for atmospheric contamination. Early (ca. 1200 AD) changes found at both sites are possibly related to the onset of the ‘Little Ice Age’. Later changes are neither synchronous nor similar in nature and might be best explained as individual responses to the recovery from the ‘Little Ice Age’ and subsequent climatic warming.     

Diatoms from the Shelton Mastodon Site

A fairly diverse and abundant diatom flora is associated with remains of Mammut americanum at the Shelton Mastodon Site in northern Oakland County, Michigan. The most abundant elements of this flora are species commonly recorded from late-glacial deposits in North America and Europe. The nearest modern analogues of this flora are assemblages deposited in small lakes in the high arctic and present day periglacial environments. Based on the diatoms present, the most probable depositional habitat was the margin of a moderately alkaline (pH>7.0) and moderately productive pond which existed under arctic conditions.     

菲尔德斯半岛潮间带生态系统中的食物网

菲尔德斯半岛潮间带食物链是较简单的 ,一般说来在不利环境条件下的生物群落只有很少的消费者和较少的营养级。食物链中主要的生产者是大型底栖藻类 ,主要消费者是腹足类和石鳖 ,棘皮动物中的海胆与海星 ,甲壳动物 ,鱼和海鸟 ,海鸟和鱼占营养级的上层 ,草食软体动物位于中间营养级 ,大量的固着藻类 -叶状藻类、皮壳状藻类构成营养级的底层。观测实验表明 :(1 )海鸟和鱼类减少了草食性软体动物和肉食性螺类的数量 ;(2 )肉食性腹足类减少了草食性软体动物和固着无脊椎动物的数量 ;(3 )草食性软体动物减少了叶状藻类的数量并影响到皮壳状藻类的数量 ,在不清除消费者的实验中 ,皮壳状藻类显示出与其它固着生物竞争空间的优势。作者观察了并在本文中描述了异性底质与消费者对固着生物多样性的影响。壳状藻类在低潮带岩石表面占优势 ,其它的固着生物 (叶状藻类与固着无脊椎动物 )占据洞穴和狭缝。同质岩石表面固着生物的种类与数量低于异质性的岩石表面。清除岩石表面的消费者后叶状藻类与其它固着无脊椎动物的种数就超过皮壳状藻类     

Impact of sediment type,light and nutrient availability on benthic diatom communities of a large estuarine bay: Moreton Bay,Australia

Shifts in diatom species composition may be used to infer past changes in environmental conditions in fresh, estuarine and marine systems. Establishing the primary drivers of present day diatom community composition is a vital step in their use as a proxy for past conditions. Moreton Bay, Australia, has experienced extensive modification of its catchments and western and southern shorelines. Regional weather patterns and terrestrial runoff have created a gradient in water quality from relatively degraded western and southern areas to relatively pristine northern and eastern areas. The aim of this study was to examine the relative impact of short term changes to light and/or nutrient availability and long term changes in sediment type, light and nutrient availability to subtidal benthic community composition. Short term changes were imposed using a manipulative field experiment whilst long term changes were obtained from a field survey of sites across the gradient of water quality. Diatoms were found to be the dominant microalgal group at all studied sites. The diatom communities were comprised primarily of small benthic epipsammic species and community composition was primarily driven by changes in sediment silt content. Short term changes in light and/or nutrient availability had little impact on community composition. In this open estuarine system the use of diatom indices to infer past water quality must take into account the sediment silt content in their interpretations.     

QUATERNARY DIATOMS AND CYSTS FROM XIHU LAKE ON FILDES PENINSULA OF KING GEORGE ISLAND, ANTARCTICA AND THEIR PALAEOENVIRONMENTS

The Xihu Lake is Located on the southern Fildes Peninsula. A drill hole is 2.6 m deep and total 102 samples were collected by Dr. Xie Youyu during 1985-1986. The samples from drill hole in the Xihu Lake contain abundant and well-preserved diatoms and Cysts (Chrysophata), 131 species and variaties of diatoms belonging to 21 genera were reoognized. As a result of the detailed research on the diatom assemblages from the Xihu Lake sediments, 9 diatom assemblages were distinguished. From diatom and Cysts (Chrysophyta) data, the changes of the Palaeoenvironments and Palaeoclimate and their age are discussed.