The species composition and community structure of testate amoebae in sphagnum bogs of northern karelia (the white sea lowland)

• Main Authors: Mazei, Yu. A., Tsyganov, Andrey, Bubnova, O.A.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 2009
• Subjects: Biology; White Sea; taiga
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10067/1722960151162165141

Abstract: In an oligotrophic sphagnum bog of the northern taiga (outskirts of the village of the Chernaya Reka, Loukhskii district, Karelia), 80 testate amoeba species were identified. Three types of communities were distinguished. Hydrophilous and detritophilous testate amoebae such as Quadrulella symmetrica, Cyclopyxis eurystoma, Trinema enchelys, T. lineare, Nebela lageniformis, N. tincta major, and Centropyxis aerophila sphagnicola are characteristic of mossy cushions along small streams with neutral water. The xerophilous species, Assulina muscorum and Trigonopyxis arcula, predominated in dry sphagnum hummocks. Under moderately moistened conditions, a community with a complex of the sphagnobiont species, Archerella flavum, Hyalosphenia papilio, and Phryganella hemisphaerica, was formed. The maximal abundance (188 300 ind./g of absolutely dry sphagnum) was recorded in the moist sphagnum biotope with neutral reaction (near the stream source); the minimal one (10400 ind./g) - in small sphagnum cushions submerged into stream water.