Multivariate statistical analysis of net diatom species distributions in the Southwestern Atlantic and Indian Ocean

Vertical net haul diatom assemblages from near South Georgia, and from between Africa and Antarctica, were examined and compared. Variation among South Georgia stations was examined by principal component, cluster and canonical discriminant analyses. Diatom distributions provide evidence for at leas...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Polar Biology
Main Authors: Fryxell, G., Theriot, Edward
Other Authors: Department of Oceanography, Texas A&M University, 77843, TX, College Station, USA; Great Lakes Research Division, University of Michigan, 48109, Ann Arbor, MI, USA, Department of Oceanography, Texas A&M University, 77843, TX, College Station, USA, Ann Arbor
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Springer-Verlag; Springer-Verlag GmbH & Co. KG 1985
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Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/2027.42/46982
https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00446041
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Summary:Vertical net haul diatom assemblages from near South Georgia, and from between Africa and Antarctica, were examined and compared. Variation among South Georgia stations was examined by principal component, cluster and canonical discriminant analyses. Diatom distributions provide evidence for at least two distinct water masses. The region north of the island is characterized by neritic, temperate diatoms and by an assemblage with low species diversity. The region south of the island is characterized by oceanic, antarctic species and relatively high species diversity. The regions are most distinct to the west of the island, intergrading east of the island. Within the north-south division, five station groupings were detected on the basis of distribution of dominant net diatoms. By comparing classical species ecological categorizations to results of principal component analysis, a “neritic-oceanic” factor was identified from net diatom distributions. This factor was common to both areas in spite of the fact that Biscoe and Agulhas collections were from different seasons. Peer Reviewed http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/46982/1/300_2004_Article_BF00446041.pdf