The structure and species richness of the diatom assemblages of the Western Carpathian spring fens along the gradient of mineral richness.

Abstract

Species composition changes along the pH and calcium gradients within wetlands were frequently studied for different groups of organisms, but few data are available for algae. Here we list 188 diatom taxa collected as epibryon and epipelon at 13 spring fens in the Western Carpathians distributed along the gradient of mineral richness. Species richness decreased along the gradient from calcareous fens to mineral-poor Sphagnum-fens. In agreement with fen typology based on higher plants, bryophytes, and molluscs, the same four fen types were identified. For each spring-fen type indicator diatom species were suggested. Conductivity and pH appeared to be the most important environmental factors responsible for the variation in diatom species data.

Diatom assemblages of non-living substrates in petrifying Cratoneurion springs from lower Belgium

“…Cantonati & Spitale (2009) and Cantonati et al (2012b) made similar observations in a few iron-rich springs, but this was not an apparent feature here. Fránková et al (2009) observed poor valve silicification in petrifying springs, concurring with somewhat lower silica concentrations than in less mineral-rich fens. The solubility of biogenic silica increases markedly at pH > 8.5 and such values may develop in carbonate-precipitating biofilms (Bisset 2008).…”

“…Seventeen Swiss springs, also presenting a wider conduc- tivity range and no obvious signs of pollution, yielded only 136 taxa (Taxböck & Preisig 2007) and 197 taxa were noted in 52 samples from 27 Austrian springs and spring streams (Gesierich & Kofler 2010). Thirteen springs in the Western Carpathians yielded 188 taxa, with 114 occurring in calcareous fens (Fránková et al 2009). Werum & Lange-Bertalot (2004) examined 97 springs from regions with varying geology in SWGermany (Hessen) but recorded only one hundred taxa more than the 300+ tallied here.…”

“…Epipelic and bryophytic assemblages are likely to differ in composition (e.g. Fránková et al 2009 ). In northern Italy, Cantonati et al (2012b) found the highest numbers of diatom taxa on bryophytes, a substrate offering diverse microhabitats as well as pockets with accumulative conditions and little scouring, and significant substrate preference for a considerable number of taxa.…”

“…Hydrogeological conditions for spring formation occur most frequently in (sub-)mountainous regions with surfacing hard bedrock and a series of recent diatom studies of carbonate springs in Europe have focussed on such areas (e.g., Reichardt 1994Reichardt , 1995Reichardt , 2004Cantonati 1998;Poulíčková et al 2003;Werum & Lange-Bertalot 2004;Fránková et al 2009;Torrisi & Dell'Uomo 2009;Gesierich & Kofler 2010;Wojtal 2013). Springs also occur in less elevated sloping terrain, wherever groundwater is forced to the surface by less permeable strata, but unlike mid-and highaltitude regions, data on their diatom biodiversity are more restricted and often limited to more mineralpoor conditions.…”

Taxonomic revision of Chamaepinnularia krookiformis Lange-Bertalot et Krammer with a description of Chamaepinnularia plinskii sp. nov.

“…In Europe, Chamaepinnularia schauppiana lange-Bertalot et metzeltin was noted to occur in oligo-dystrophic waters in Finland but also in mire and fen pools (cantonati & lange-Bertalot 2009). It was also observed that several other species occurred in Europe both in low pH lakes (kapetanoVić et al 2011) and in mountain fens with a high concentration of minerals (FránkoVá et al 2009). Chamaepinnularia krookiformis was noted to occur in the area of Poland both in seawaters and saline inland waters in the coastal zone (WitkoWski 1994;WitkoWski et al 2000;Bąk et al 2006), in freshwater ecosystem such as upland rivers (Wojtal 2009;peszek et al 2015), quaternary springs located near Łódź (Żelazna-Wieczorek 2011), and in athalassic habitats in Central Poland (Żelazna-Wieczorek et al 2015).…”