Relationships of sedimented diatom species (Bacillariophyceae) to environmental gradients in dilute northern New England lakes
- Univ. of Maine, Orono (United States)
- Environmental Protection Agency, Corvallis, OR (United States)
Limnological gradients of small, oligotrophic, and low conductance lakes in northern New England were defined by principal components analysis; relationships of sedimented diatom species to the gradients were investigated by correlation analysis. Diatom distributions were most strongly related to the gradient of pH and alkalinity and the covarying variables, conductance, Mg, Ca, total Al, and exchangeable Al. Weaker relationships to lake morphology, dissolved organic carbon and water color, altitude and marine aerosol inputs, and the distinctive water chemistry of some New Hampshire lakes were also present. Results for 16 taxa of importance in the authors' studies of lake acidity are given in detail and are compared to results from other regions of eastern North America. Planktonic taxa were absent below pH 5.5, with the exception of the long form of Asterionella ralfsii var. americana Korn. The two forms of this taxon differed ecologically: the long form ([ge] 45 [mu]m) had an abundance weighted mean (AWM) pH 5.53 and occurred mostly in lakes that were deep relative to transparency; the short form (< 45 [mu]m) had an AWM pH 4.90 and occurred in lakes that were shallow relative to transparency. The ecological advantage of a [open quotes]splitter[close quotes] approach to diatom taxonomy was demonstrated by examination of other taxa as well, including Tabellaria flocculosa (Roth) Kuetz. These results have important implications for paleolimnological interpretations. 66 refs., 6 figs., 4 tabs.
- OSTI ID:
- 6183568
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Phycology; (United States), Vol. 29:3; ISSN 0022-3646
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
DIATOMS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
LAKES
LIMNOLOGY
ABUNDANCE
AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
NEW HAMPSHIRE
PH VALUE
TAXONOMY
WATER CHEMISTRY
ALGAE
BIOLOGY
CHEMISTRY
CHROMOPHYCOTA
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
ECOSYSTEMS
NORTH AMERICA
PLANTS
SURFACE WATERS
USA
550000* - Biomedical Sciences
Basic Studies