Ecological distribution of modern diatom in peatlands in the northern Greater Khingan Mountains and its environmental implications

Abstract

Relationships between diatoms assemblages and environmental variables in peatlands of the northern Greater Khingan Mountains is helpful for understanding the indicative signi cance of diatoms to environment changes, and potentially provides a reference for environmental monitoring and paleoenvironment reconstruction in the edge of monsoon region. In this study we analyzed modern diatom distribution and explored the relationships between diatoms assemblages and 11 environment factors in 30 shrubby-herbaceous and herbaceous peatlands based on ordination analysis. Benthic and epiphytic Pennatae diatoms are mainly ecological types, whereas planktonic Centricae diatoms are relatively fewer. The most diverse genera are Navicula, Pinnularia and Eunotia. Eunotia paludosa and Achnanthes minutissima dominated in shrubby-herbaceous peatlands, while Navicula minima and Fragilaria capucina dominated in herbaceous peatlands. The diatom community structures are different in different vegetation types and the diatom species diversity in herbaceous peatlands is higher than in shrubby-herbaceous peatlands. COD Mn and pH are the most important environmental factors affecting diatom species composition and diversity. Eunotia bilunaris var. bilunaris, Eunotia mucophila and Eunotia paludosa can be used as indicators of acidic water environments. Caloneis silicula, Fragilaria capucina, Hantzschia amphioxys and Navicula radiosa can be applied to indicate the weak alkaline water conditions. Eunotia bilunaris var. bilunaris and Eunotia paludosa can indicate low conductivity, while Navicula pupula indicates the medium-high conductivity. Fragilaria capucina and Navicula radiosa can indicate water nutrients states.

A Voucher Flora of Diatoms from Fens in the Tanana River Floodplain, Alaska

“…The most frequently encountered species in the moderate fen, Pinnularia pulchra and Eunotia pseudoparallela , are described as epipelic in oligotrophic waters with low electrolyte content in East Greenland and northern Finland and are reported as absent from Europe [ 44 ]. Han et al [ 82 ] found P. pulchra as one dominant diatom species in herbaceous peatlands in the northern Greater Khingan Mountains, China, tolerant of neutral-alkaline habitats. Likewise, the moderate fen conditions align as suitable to support P. pulchra .…”

Combined application of nitrogen, phosphorus, iron, and silicon improves growth and fatty acid composition in marine epiphytic diatoms

“…Their short life span and sessile traits enable them to capture ephemeral environmental variations at sampling sites. Moreover, their sensitivity to multiple environmental factors and nutrient enrichment endows characterizing species in terms of functional categories, e.g., salinity, pH, oxygen demands, nitrogen assimilation, and trophic status (Desrosiers et al, 2013;Han et al, 2023).…”