Abstract
Glass microscope slides were placed to span a range of temperatures in and around a warm spring in the Portneuf River, Idaho in the winter of 1987. Diatoms were allowed to colonize these slides for 8 weeks. Analysis of slides revealed that maximum species diversity and species richness were reached between 25° and 30 °C. Analysis also showed that certain diatom taxa were stenothermal, showing distinct preferences for various temperatures while others were eurythermal.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Allen, W. E., 1920. A quantitative and statistical study of the plankton of the San Joaquin River and its tributaries in and near Stockton, California in 1913. Univ. Calif. Publ. Zool. 22: 1–292.
Brock, T. D., 1967a. Relationship between standing crop and primary production along a hot spring thermal gradient. Ecology 48: 566–571.
Brock, T. D., 1967b. Micro-organisms adapted to high temperatures. Nature 214: 882–885.
Brock, T. D. & M. L. Brock, 1966. Temperature optima for algal development in Yellowstone and Iceland Hot Springs. Nature 209: 733–734.
Brock, T. D. & M. L. Brock, 1968. Relationships between environmental temperature and optimum temperature of bacteria along a hot spring thermal gradient. J. Appl. Bact. 31: 54–58.
Brues, C. T., 1927. Animal life in hot springs. The Quarterly Rev. of Biology 2: 181–201.
Cairns, J., Jr., 1956. Effects of increased temperatures on aquatic organisms. Industrial Wastes 1: 150.
Cummins, K., 1973. Trophic relations of aquatic insects. Ann. Rev. Ent. 18: 183–206.
Cushing, C. E. & S. R. Rushforth, 1984. Diatoms of the Middle Fork of the Salmon River Drainage, with notes on their relative abundance and distribution. Great Basin Nat. 44: 421–427.
Ekins, L. & S. R. Rushforth, 1986. Diatom Flora of Cowboy Hot Spring, Mono County, California. Great Basin Nat. 46: 612–624.
Foerster, J., F. Trainer & J. Buck, 1974. Thermal effects on the Connecticut River: phycology and chemistry. J. Wat. Pollut. Cont. Fed. 46: 2138–2152.
Fjerdinstad, E., 1963. World Health Organization /E8L10 30 p.
Gibbons, J. & R. Sharitz, 1974. Thermal alteration of aquatic ecosystems. Am. Sci. 62: 660–670.
Hairston, N. G., 1959. Species abundance and community organization. Ecology 40: 404–416.
Hickman, M., 1974. Effects of the discharge of thermal effluent from a power station on Lake Wabamun, Alberta, Canada — The epipelic and epipsamic algal communities. Hydrobiologia 45: 199–215.
Hickman, M. & D. M. Klarer, 1975. The effect of the discharge of thermal effluent from a power station on the primary productivity of an epiphytic algal community. Br. Phycol. J. 10: 81–91.
Kaczmarska, I. & S. R. Rushforth, 1983. The diatom flora of Blue Lake Warm Spring, Utah, USA. Biblio. Diatomologica 2: 1–123.
Kawecka, B., 1981. Sessile algae in European mountain streams. II. Taxonomy and autecology. Acta Hydrobiol. 23: 17–46.
Klarer, D. M. & M. Hickman, 1975. The effect of thermal effluent upon the standing crop of an epiphytic algal community. Int. Rev. Ges. Hydrobiologia 60: 17–62.
Kullberg, R. G., 1968. Algal diversity in thermal spring effluents. Ecology 49: 751–755.
Kullberg, R. G., 1971. Algal distribution in six thermal spring effluents. Trans. Am. Micros. Soc. 90: 412–434.
Lowe, R. L., 1974. Environmental requirements and pollution tolerance of freshwater diatoms. Envir. Monitoring Series, U.S. EPA Report No. 67014–74–005. 334 p.
Mann, J. E. & H. E. SchlichtingJr., 1967. Benthic algae of selected thermal springs in Yellowstone National Park. Trans. Am. Micros. Soc. 86: 2–9.
Moncreiff, R. & S. Perrin, 1979. The effects of increased water temperature on the diversity of periphyton. In J. F. Grassle, G. P. Patil, W. Smith & C. Taillie (eds), Ecological Diversity in Theory and Practice. Int. Coop. Pub. House, Maryland: 207–217.
Munteany, N. & E. Maly, 1981. The effect of current on the distribution of diatoms settling on submerged glass slides. Hydrobiologia 78: 273–282.
Patrick, R., 1945. A taxonomic and ecological study of some diatoms from the Pocono Plateau and adjacent regions. Farlowia 2: 143–214.
Patrick, R., 1948. Factors effecting the distribution of diatoms. Bot. Rev. 14: 473–524.
Patrick, R., 1969. Some effects of temperature on freshwater algae. In P. A. Krenkel & F. L. Parker (eds), Biological Aspects of Thermal pollution. Vanderbilt Univ. Press. 161–198
Patrick, R., 1971. The effects of increasing light and temperature on the structure of diatom communities. Limnol. Oceanogr. 16: 405–420.
Patrick, R., 1974. Effects of abnormal temperatures on algal communities. In J. W. Gibbons & R. R. Sharitz (eds), The Thermal Ecology Conf. 730505, Technical Info. Serv., Atomic Energy Comm., Oakridge, Tenn. 335–349.
Patrick, R. & C. W. Reimer, 1966. Diatoms of the United States. I. Monogr. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, 13: 688 pp.
Patrick, R., B. Crum & J. Coles, 1969. Temperature and manganese as determining factors in the presence of diatoms or blue green algal floras in streams. Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. US. 64: 472–478.
Pearsall, W., 1923. The phytoplankton of Rostherne Mere. Mem. & Proc. Manchest. Lit. Phil. Soc. 67: 45–55.
Pearsall, W., 1930. Phytoplankton in the English lakes. I. The proportions in the waters of some dissolved substances of biological importance. J. Ecol. 18: 306–320.
Pearsall, W., 1932. Phytoplankton in the English Lakes. II. The composition of the phytoplankton in relation to dissolved substances. J. Ecol. 20: 241–432.
Peary, J. A. & R. W. Castenholz, 1964. Temperature strains of thermophilic blue-green algae. Nature 202: 720–721.
Ružička, M., 1958. Anwendung mathematisch-statistischer methoden in der Geobotanik (synthetische bearbeitung von aufnahmen). Biologia, Bratisl. 13: 647–661.
Setchell, W. A., 1903. The upper temperature limits of life. Science, N. S. 17: 934–937.
Shannon, C. & W. Weaver, 1963. The mathematical theory of communication. Univ. Illinois Press, Urbana. 117 pp.
Sneath, P. & R. Sokal, 1973. Numerical taxonomy. W. H. Freeman & Co., San Francisco. 573 pp.
Stevenson, R., 1984. How currents on different sides of substrates in streams affect mechanisms of benthic algal accumulation. Int. Rev. ges. Hydrobiologia. 69: 241–262.
Stockner, J. G., 1967. Observations of thermophylic algal communities in Mount Rainer and Yellowstone National Parks. Limnol. Oceanogr. 12: 13–17.
Stockner, J. G. & F. A. Armstrong, 1971. Periphyton of the Experimental Lakes Area, Northwestern Ontario. J. Fish. Res. Bd Can. 28: 215–229.
Squires, L. E., S. R. Rushforth & J. D. Brotherson, 1979. Algal response to a thermal effluent: Study of a power station on the Provo River, Utah, USA. Hydrobiologia 63: 17–32.
Tennessee Valley Authority, 1967. Thermal and biological studies in the vicinity of Colbert Steam Plant. TVA Div. of Health and Safety, Water Qual. Branch, Chattanooga, Tenn..
Trembley, F. J., 1960. Research project on effects of condenser discharge water on aquatic life. Lehigh Univ. Institute of Research Progress Report 1956–1959, Bethlehem, Pa.
Trembley, F. J., 1965. Effects of cooling water from stream electric power plants on stream biota. In Biological Problems in Water Pollution, U.S. Dept Health, Ed., and Welfare, 999WP-25, U.S. Govet. Print. Office, Washington, D.C: 334–335
Tuchman, M. & D. W. Blinn, 1979. Comparison of attached algal communities on natural and artificial substrata along a thermal gradient. Brit. Phyco. J. 14: 243–254.
Vinyard, W. C., 1979. Diatoms of North America. Mad River Press, Eureka, California. 120 pp.
Vouk, V., 1950. Grundriss zu einer Balneobiologie der Thermen Verlag Birkhauser, Basel. 88 pp.
Wallace, N. C.,1955. The effect of temperature on the growth of some freshwater diatoms. Not. Nat., Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila. No. 280. 11 pp.
Welch, E. B., 1969. Discussion of ecological changes of applied significance induced by the discharge of heated waters. In F. L. Parker & P. A. Krenken (eds), Engineering Aspects of Thermal Pollution. Vanderbilt Univ. Press, Nashville, Tenn: 58–68.
Wiegert, R. C. & P. C. Fraleigh, 1972. Ecology of Yellowstone thermal effluent streams: Net primary production and species diversity of a successional blue-green algal mat. Limnol. Oceanogr. 17: 215–227.
Zar, J., 1984. Biostatistical Analysis (2nd edition). Prentice Hall Inc., Englewood Cliffs, N.J. 718 pp.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Vinson, D.K., Rushforth, S.R. Diatom species composition along a thermal gradient in the Portneuf River, Idaho, USA. Hydrobiologia 185, 41–54 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00006066
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00006066