Marine benthic diatoms from Potter Cove, King George Island, Antarctica

• Published in: Botanica Marina
• Main Authors: Al-Handal, Adil Y., Wulff, Angela
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Walter de Gruyter GmbH 2008
• Subjects: Plant Science; Aquatic Science; Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics; Antarc*; Antarctic; Antarctica; King George Island
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/bot.2008.007; https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/BOT.2008.007/xml; https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/BOT.2008.007/pdf

Abstract Antarctic benthic marine diatoms from the Potter Cove region, King George Island were studied in samples collected during the austral summer 2003. A floristic list was made to add information on the Antarctic benthic diatom distribution. A total of 84 species was identified from four localities in Potter Cove, the majority of which are of cosmopolitan distribution. The most common taxa encountered were Cocconeis spp., Gyrosigma fasciola, Navicula cf. cancellata, N. cf. perminuta, Petroneis plagiostoma and Pleurosigma obscurum . Both G. fasciola and P. obscurum are recorded for the first time from Antarctica with such common occurrence. The overall diatom population in Potter Cove appeared rather different from other diatom populations observed in Antarctic marine habitats.