Fossil rotifers and the early colonization of an Antarctic lake

Early Holocene sediments from a continental Antartic lake (Ace Lake, Vestfold Hills, East Antartica) contained abundant fossil rotifers of the genus Notholca. The fossil is similar to specimens of Notholca sp. present in modern-day Ace Lake and other fresh and brackish lakes of the Vestfold Hills. C...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Quaternary Research
Main Authors: Swadling, KM, Dartnall, HJ, Gibson, JAE, Saulnier-Talbot, E, Vincent, WF
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Academic Press Inc 2001
Subjects:
Biological Sciences
Ecology
Palaeoecology
Antarctic
Vestfold Hills
Vestfold
Ace Lake
Antarc*
antartic*
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1006/qres.2001.2222
http://ecite.utas.edu.au/21919
Description
Summary:Early Holocene sediments from a continental Antartic lake (Ace Lake, Vestfold Hills, East Antartica) contained abundant fossil rotifers of the genus Notholca. The fossil is similar to specimens of Notholca sp. present in modern-day Ace Lake and other fresh and brackish lakes of the Vestfold Hills. Cyanobacteria and protists (chrysophyte cysts, dinoflagellate cysts, and rhizopod tests) were also recovered from the core samples. These sediments were deposited early in the freshwater phase of Ace Lake, soon after deglaciation of the area. The occurence of this trophically diverse assemblage of organisms at an early in the evolution of the lake suggests either that they were part of an endemic Antarctic flora and fauna which pre-dated the last glacial maximum and survived in glacial refugia or that effecient intercontinental dispersal had occurred. 2001 University of Washington.

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