Soil algae from northern Victoria Land (Antarctica)

• Main Author: Paolo Cavacini
• Format: Report
• Language: English
• Published: Dipartimento di Biologia Vegetale, Universita degli Studi "La Sapienza" 2001
• Subjects: algae; cyanobacteria; soil; floristic; Antarctica; Victoria Land; Antarc*; Polar bioscience
• Online Access: https://nipr.repo.nii.ac.jp/?action=repository_uri&item_id=6165; http://id.nii.ac.jp/1291/00006165/; https://nipr.repo.nii.ac.jp/?action=repository_action_common_download&item_id=6165&item_no=1&attribute_id=18&file_no=1

Samples of dry mineral soil with no apparent algal vegetation were collected from 20 locations of northern Victoria Land (Antarctica) to determine their microalgal content. Direct microscopic examination and cultures revealed the presence of 63 taxa, mostly represented by Chlorophyta (29 taxa) and Cyanobacteria (22 taxa). Other components observed included Xanthophyta (9 taxa) and Bacillariophyta (3 taxa). Descriptions of the 15 species newly recorded for Continental Antarctica or the whole of Antarctica are given. A comparison among other studies shows that northern Victoria Land edaphic microflora only partially corresponds with the microflora present in other locations of Victoria Land or in other areas of Antarctica.