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Taxonomy, ecology and biogeography of aquatic and limno-terrestrial diatoms (Bacillariophyta) in the Maritime Antartic Region
Kopalová, Kateřina ; Nedbalová, Linda (advisor) ; Sabbe, Koen (referee) ; Jüttner, Ingrid (referee)
Diatoms (Bacillariophyta) are one of the most diverse algal groups in the Antarctic Region and play a dominant role in almost all freshwater and terrestrial ecosystems. Despite this overall occurrence, little is known about the diversity, ecology and biogeography of this group in the Maritime Antarctic Region. The main objective of this thesis is therefore to define the taxonomical, ecological and biogeographical characterisation of aquatic, semi- aquatic and moss-inhabiting diatom communities from two islands in the Maritime Antarctic Region: James Ross Island and Livingston Island, located on opposite sides of the Antarctic Peninsula. In this study, a total of 250 samples from three different habitat types (lakes, streams & seepage areas and mosses) from Byers Peninsula (Livingston Island) and Ulu Peninsula (James Ross Island) have been analysed. Using light and scanning electron microscopy, a rather diverse diatom flora composed of 178 taxa, belonging to 43 genera has been identified. Although even until recently, it was generally accepted that the Antarctic diatom flora was mostly composed of cosmopolitan taxa, several new species could be described as a new for science during this PhD study (a reflection of this work is presented in chapters 2 & 3 and in Appendices). Habitat type and...
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Ecology and Taxonomy of limno-terrestrial diatoms from East Antarctica.
Bishop, Jordan ; Kopalová, Kateřina (advisor) ; Hutňan Chattová, Barbora (referee) ; Jüttner, Ingrid (referee)
Diatoms are single-celled photosynthetic eukaryotes that substantially contribute to global primary productivity. They are also among the most diverse groups of organisms in Antarctica. Biogeographically, Antarctica is divided into three distinct regions including the Sub-Antarctic, Maritime Antarctic, and Continental Antarctic. Recent taxonomic revisions of diatoms within the Sub-Antarctic and Maritime Antarctic Regions have uncovered a number of endemic taxa initially misidentified as cosmopolitan due to species "force-fitting". Within Continental Antarctica, this taxonomic uncertainty has led to confusion about the environmental drivers of limno-terrestrial diatom communities, although this knowledge is important given the use of diatoms as regional bioindicators for environmental change. The purpose of this dissertation is to reevaluate the diatom flora of Continental Antarctica and determine variables that structure their communities within two historically and biologically important localities within East Antarctica; the Vestfold Hills and Windmill Islands. The erection of the genus Sabbea was performed to accommodate a long-misidentified species, Sabbea adminensis, that occurs within the Vestfold Hills and McMurdo Sound Region where it had been the source of taxonomic confusion since the...
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Taxonomy, ecology and biogeography of aquatic and limno-terrestrial diatoms (Bacillariophyta) in the Maritime Antartic Region
Kopalová, Kateřina ; Nedbalová, Linda (advisor) ; Sabbe, Koen (referee) ; Jüttner, Ingrid (referee)
Diatoms (Bacillariophyta) are one of the most diverse algal groups in the Antarctic Region and play a dominant role in almost all freshwater and terrestrial ecosystems. Despite this overall occurrence, little is known about the diversity, ecology and biogeography of this group in the Maritime Antarctic Region. The main objective of this thesis is therefore to define the taxonomical, ecological and biogeographical characterisation of aquatic, semi- aquatic and moss-inhabiting diatom communities from two islands in the Maritime Antarctic Region: James Ross Island and Livingston Island, located on opposite sides of the Antarctic Peninsula. In this study, a total of 250 samples from three different habitat types (lakes, streams & seepage areas and mosses) from Byers Peninsula (Livingston Island) and Ulu Peninsula (James Ross Island) have been analysed. Using light and scanning electron microscopy, a rather diverse diatom flora composed of 178 taxa, belonging to 43 genera has been identified. Although even until recently, it was generally accepted that the Antarctic diatom flora was mostly composed of cosmopolitan taxa, several new species could be described as a new for science during this PhD study (a reflection of this work is presented in chapters 2 & 3 and in Appendices). Habitat type and...
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