The Biological Soil Crusts of the San Nicolas Island: Enigmatic Algae from a Geographically Isolated Ecosystem

Polyphasic characterization of Trichocoleus desertorum sp. nov. (Pseudanabaenales, Cyanobacteria) from desert soils and phylogenetic placement of the genus Trichocoleus

“…Some ultrastructural features, such as thylakoid arrangement, are often visible in the light microscope (cf. Boyer et al 2002, Flechtner et al 2008, and can consistently be used to place taxa in the correct order and subclass.…”

Newly Revealed Diversity of Green Microalgae from Wilderness Areas of Joshua Tree National Park (JTNP)

“…Using these techniques, Johansen et al (1993) identified 90 algal taxa, including 47 chlorophyte and 9 xanthophyte taxa, in a semiarid sagebrush steppe community in the Lower Columbia Basin (WA). Flechtner et al (2008) identified 56 algal taxa, including 16 nondiatom eukaryotic algal taxa, in samples from San Nicolas Island, the largest of the Channel Islands off the coast of California; they described 2 new chlorophyte species. ABSTRACT.-Documentation of the biodiversity of eukaryotic algae from desert systems is sparse.…”

“…Morphological approaches have traditionally been accepted as important tools in defining the algal flora of a given locale, and some investigators still rely solely on these techniques (Flechtner et al 1998(Flechtner et al , 2008(Flechtner et al , Škaloud 2009). But light microscopy has limitations.…”

Hassallia littoralis sp. nov. (Cyanobacteria, Microchaetaceae) from Mexico’s marine supralittoral based on morphological and molecular evidence

“…There are eleven valid and recognized Hassallia species (Table 1) (Komárek & Hauer 2013) including four new species described from Antarctica and desert soils biotopes (Flechtner et al 2008, Komárek et al 2012 but none had been recorded from a similar biotope (tropical marine supralittoral) and geographical area (Table 1). In general, the lack of reports of cyanobacterial genera such as Hassallia in many geographical regions, and specially in marine habitats from tropical zones, is not due to its rare distribution or low abundance in natural communities, but to the lack of studies in habitats of very specific environmental conditions where cyanobacteria form frequently dominant multispecific assemblages.…”

“…Morphology measurements were obtained using SigmaScan© automated image analysis software (Jandel Scientific, Sausalito, California) and expressed as means ± standard deviation of 20-40 measurements. Morphological identification was done in accordance with new and traditional reference works (Bornet & Flahault 1886-1888, Gardner 1927, Frémy 1930, Flechtner et al 2008, Komárek et al 2012. Komárek & Hauer (2013) was used for the systematics.…”