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Distribution of Nitellopsis obtusa (Characeae) in New York, U.S.A.

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Abstract

The charophytic green alga Nitellopsis obtusa was first reported in the New World in the St. Lawrence River in 1978. Since that time, N. obtusa has been reported from inland lakes throughout Michigan, northern Indiana, and western New York and has been listed as an aggressive invasive species by the United States Geological Survey. This study addresses the distribution of N. obtusa by surveying 390 waterbodies throughout New York. Previous reports are confirmed and new localities are presented, including new reports from five counties (Franklin, Ontario, Seneca, Wayne, and Yates). In total, N. obtusa was found in 17 counties at 31 sites, including 16 inland lakes, seven sites in the St. Lawrence River, and eight sites in Lake Ontario.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank all of the landowners who allowed access to their property. We thank John D. Hall, Hilary A. McManus, Heather M. Meyer, William Pérez, Paul M. Skawinski and Norman Trigoboff for their contribution to field collections. Dario J. Cavaliere, Stephen D. Gottschalk, William Pérez and two reviewers for helpful suggestions on the manuscript. Dario J. Cavaliere provided assistance with micrographs. This work was supported by the Sarah K. de Coizart Article TENTH Perpetual Charitable Trust and this material is also based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant Numbers DEB-1020660 and DEB-1036466.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Lewis B. and Dorothy Cullman Program for Molecular Systematics, The New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, New York, 10458, U.S.A.

    Robin S. Sleith, Amy J. Havens, Robert A. Stewart & Kenneth G. Karol

  2. The Graduate Center, City University of New York, 365 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY, 10016, U.S.A.

    Robin S. Sleith

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  1. Robin S. Sleith
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  2. Amy J. Havens
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  3. Robert A. Stewart
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  4. Kenneth G. Karol
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Correspondence to Robin S. Sleith.

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Sleith, R.S., Havens, A.J., Stewart, R.A. et al. Distribution of Nitellopsis obtusa (Characeae) in New York, U.S.A.. Brittonia 67, 166–172 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12228-015-9372-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12228-015-9372-6

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