Benthic algal mats of some lakes of Inexpressible Island (northern Victoria Land, Antarctica)

• Published in: Polar Biology
• Main Authors: FUMANTI, Bruno, ALFINITO, Silvia, Paolo Cavacini
• Other Authors: Fumanti, Bruno, Paolo, Cavacini, Alfinito, Silvia
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: SPRINGER VERLAG 1997
• Subjects: benthic algal mats. northern victoria land. antarctica; Victoria Land; Four Lakes; Inexpressible Island; Antarc*; Antarctica
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/11573/243610; https://doi.org/10.1007/s003000050101

Benthic algal mats from four lakes located on Inexpressible Island (northern Victoria Land, Antarctica) were studied, analysing their structure and Aoristic composition. Thirty taxa of algae were identified: 11 Cyanophyta, 15 Bacillariophyta and 4 Chlorophyta. The lake mats contained from 15 (lake C) to 26 species (lake D). The number of diatom frustules in the mats varied from 771 x 10(3) (lake C) to 9428 x 10(3) frustules g(-1) (lake B). In terms of floristic composition and macromorphology, these mats were observed to be very similar to moat mats described from Lake Gondwana (northern Victoria Land) and the Dry Valleys lakes of southern Victoria Land.