Aim The aim of this study was to inventory the diatom species of order Surirellales present in the surface sediments of tropical reservoirs (São Paulo State, Brazil) and to correlate their distribution with environmental (pH, total phosphorus, and total nitrogen) and spatial predictors. Methods Samplings were carried out in 31 reservoirs from 2009 to 2014. Vertical profile of water samples was collected in the summer and winter along the reservoirs, and their water column mean results were used to characterize each sampling site. We measured water transparency, euphotic zone, water depth, pH, dissolved oxygen, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus. Surface sediment samples (2 cm top) were collected for diatom analyses. A partial RDA was performed between species abundance data (response matrix) and environmental and spatial variables (predictor matrices). Results 14 species of Surirellales were identified from the surface sediment samples, five of them being identified only at the genus level. Overall, partial RDA showed that the species distribution is constrained by both environmental and spatial predictors. Species were mainly ordinated in relation to pH and light availability. Conclusion Our results demonstrated that the Surirellales species revealed ecological preferences to low nutrient concentrations, neutral to slightly acidic waters, and higher light availability. Moreover, our results suggest that both environmental and spatial factors are important for their species distribution.

A new Planothidium species was found in sediment samples (~4,000 yr BP) from the Xingu Ria (Xingu River), Brazilian Amazon. The new species morphology was analyzed using light and scanning electron microscopy. Planothidium xinguense sp. nov., is mainly characterized by its elliptical, slightly asymmetrical valves, with strongly marked short rostrate ends in the small specimens, while long and strongly rostrate apices are observable in the larger valves. The taxon belongs to the group of species bearing a cavum on the rapheless valves around the name “Planothidium rostratum sensu lato”. Morphology and ecology of the new species is compared with that of morphologically related taxa. Information of core chronology and the co-occurrence of other diatom species in the sample is also provided.

RESUMO Foi realizado um levantamento florístico de Epithemia (Bacillariophyceae) na área do Parque Estadual das Fontes do Ipiranga (PEFI), São Paulo, SP, Brasil, com o objetivo de conhecer a diversidade taxonômica e a variabilidade morfológica do gênero. Ao total, 31 lâminas de diatomáceas foram examinadas das quais cinco foram usadas no presente estudo. Cinco espécies foram identificadas: E. proboscidea Kützing, E. gibba (Ehrenberg) Kützing, E. gibberula (Ehrenberg) Kützing, E. operculata (C. Agardh) Ruck & Nakov e Epithemia sp., com dominância de espécies perifíticas. Um táxon foi registrado pela primeira vez para o Brasil (E. proboscidea Kützing) e dois táxons para a área do PEFI (E. gibba (Ehrenberg) Kützing e E. operculata (C. Agardh) Ruck & Nakov).

A bstract: The actual status of the progress and the main aspects of diatom studies in Brazil remain unknown. This paper describes a survey of published studies addressing material of Brazilian origin in non-marine aquatic environments. Our objectives are to (1) summarize and categorize diatom research topics, (2) to describe how related studies evolved and developed over time, as well as respective journals, (3) to identify the most studied regions and environments, and (4) to indicate the main institutions and works addressing diatom research and related interactions. We conducted a systematic review selecting 478 studies. Since the early studies, the approach on diatom fl oristic exclusively was the most frequent, even though, ecological studies have been increasing since the 2000s. However, these concentrate in the southern and southeastern. It was only in the last decades that other Brazilian regions became the setting of more extensive samplings, thus refl ecting on the interactions between authors and institutions from the collection sites. However, the actual biodiversity scenario of diatoms in Brazil still seems to be underestimated, which may infl uence further conservation measures. Finally, we indicate some suggestions aimed at fi lling the sampling gaps presented/highlighted in this study.

RESUMO (Criptógamos do Parque Estadual das Fontes do Ipiranga, São Paulo, SP, Brasil. Algae, 45: Bacillariophyceae (Naviculales: Brachysira)). O levantamento florístico do gênero Brachysira Kützing (Naviculales) do Parque Estadual das Fontes do Ipiranga (PEFI), São Paulo, SP, Brasil, resultou da análise de 31 preparações permanentes de material coletado entre 1991 e 2017. As amostras de água e de substratos (macrófitas e rochas) de sistemas lênticos, riachos e do hidrofitotério foram coletadas e posteriormente oxidadas para análise ao microscópio de luz. Nove espécies e um morfotipo foram encontrados em 15 amostras de material do PEFI, sendo quatro novas citações para o Brasil (Brachysira cf. calcicola Lange-Bertalot, Brachysira frenguellii (Manguin) Lange-Bertalot & Moser, Brachysira huitotarum Vouilloud, Sala & Núñez-Avellaneda e Brachysira intermedia (Østrup) Lange-Bertalot). Brachysira subrostrata Lange-Bertalot foi registrada pela primeira vez no Estado de São Paulo.

Present study is the floristic survey and the distribution of diatoms observed in two sediment cores of the Xingu river, Pará State, north Brazil, and represents the past ~6,000 cal yr BP. Thirty-eight taxa distributed in twenty genera were recorded, among which five were new records for Brazil and nineteen new for the Brazilian Amazon. The most representative genus based on species number was Gomphonema Ehrenberg with six species. In brief, present new records represent a 75% increase in the total number of records for the Brazilian Amazon, and indicates that this region has not only been poorly investigated, but also suggests that its biodiversity assessment is underestimated. These findings highlight the efficacy of the paleolimnological approach as a tool for assessing biodiversity before the human impacts begin to affect the pristine conditions of the area.

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