THE BENTHIC ALGAE OF SOUTHERN BAFFIN ISLAND. I. EPIPELIC COMMUNITIES IN RIVERS 1

• Published in: Journal of Phycology
• Main Author: Moore, J. W.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Wiley 1974
• Subjects: Baffin Island; Baffin
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1529-8817.1974.tb02677.x; https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1111%2Fj.1529-8817.1974.tb02677.x; https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1529-8817.1974.tb02677.x

SUMMARY The epipelic algae found in 9 rivers of southern Baffin Island were investigated during the 1972 growing season. The overall assemblage consisted of 240 taxa, of which 200 belonged to the Bacillariophyta and, only 17 to the Chlorophyta. Members of the Bacillariophyta accounted for S7–100% by numbers and 44–100% by volume of the algae at most localities. The dominant taxa were Achnanthes kriegeri Krasske, A. marginulata Grun., and Tabellaria flocculosa (Roth.) Kütz. The Chlorophyta comprised. 0–7% by numbers and 0–30% by volume of the algae, with Cosmarium tinctum Ralfs, Cylindrocystis spp., and Mougeotia sp. being most common. The standing crop in the different rivers commonly exceeded 8 × 10 6 cells/cm 2 (8 × 10 9 μ 3 /cm 2 ), and a maximum growth rate of 3.2 × 10 5 cells/cm 2 /day (3.2 × 10 8 μ/cm 2 /day) was observed. Temperature and light are considered important, factors in the regulation of algal numbers, while nutrient supply in the overlying water, grazing by herbivores, wave action, and flooding appeared to have little effect.