Freshwater diatoms of Ile Amsterdam (TAAF, Southern Indian Ocean)
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| Year of publication | 2011 |
| Type | Conference abstract |
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| Citation | |
| Description | The present study shows results of an ecological analysis of freshwater diatoms on Ile Amsterdam (Southern Indian Ocean), two new species belonging to the genus Pinnularia were described (Pinnularia amsterdamensis sp. nov. and Pinnularia vixconspicua sp. nov.). The morphology of both species was compared to other, similar species and notes on their ecology are added. Also the biogeographical relationships between Ile Amsterdam and the other islands in the Southern Indian Ocean were briefly discussed. A total of 97 diatom taxa belonging to 30 genera have been identified after surveying and counting 46 samples taken from freshwater bodies from several parts of the island. The most abundant genera were Pinnularia, Nitzschia, Diadesmis, Luticola and Eunotia. Species composition of diatom assemblages and the influence of ecological factors were evaluated by the software CANOCO for Windows (version 4.5). Ordination methods were used to show the patterns in species composition. The analyses revealed that altitude and conductivity were the main factors influencing the species richness and distribution. The results also indicate that a specific diatom flora exists on the island and seems to be distinctly separated from the non-marine diatom flora in other parts of the sub-Antarctic Region. |
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