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A Preliminary Study of Benthic Diatoms in Contrasting Lake Environments

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Antarctic Ecosystems

Summary

Eleven of the 17 freshwater lakes from Signy Island, South Orkney Islands, Antarctica were sampled by snorkel divers. A list of diatom taxa identified from benthic samples is presented. Most freshwater taxa listed were rare and only a few taxa were observed abundantly in many lakes. Assemblage composition varied between three broad lake categories: (1) proglacial; (2) oligotrophic; and (3) mesotrophic lakes. Assemblage composition also changed with lake depth in the larger lakes. A second, more detailed study was undertaken on an oligotrophic and a mesotrophic lake. No seasonal trends could be identified. The limitation of the methods used are discussed, and spatial and temporal variability in Antarctic lakes is considered.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. British Antarctic Survey, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0ET, UK

    D. R. Oppenheim

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  1. D. R. Oppenheim
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of the Arts, Sport, the Environment, Tourism and Territories, Australian Antarctic Division, Channel Highway, Kingston, Tasmania, 7050, Australia

    K. R. Kerry

  2. Alfred-Wegener-Institut für Polar- und Meeresforschung, Columbusstraße, 2850, Bremerhaven, Germany

    G. Hempel

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© 1990 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Oppenheim, D.R. (1990). A Preliminary Study of Benthic Diatoms in Contrasting Lake Environments. In: Kerry, K.R., Hempel, G. (eds) Antarctic Ecosystems. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-84074-6_9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-84074-6_9

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-84076-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-84074-6

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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