Studies on the algae of a small softwater stream III. Interaction between 
discharge, sediment composition and diatom flora

Cox, Eileen J.

Item

ITEM ACTIONSEXPORT

Add to Basket

Local TagsRelease HistoryDetailsSummary

Released

Journal Article

Studies on the algae of a small softwater stream III. Interaction between discharge, sediment composition and diatom flora

MPS-Authors

/persons/resource/persons56634

Cox, Eileen J.
Limnological River Station Schlitz, Max Planck Institute for Limnology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, Max Planck Society;

External Resource

No external resources are shared

Fulltext (restricted access)

There are currently no full texts shared for your IP range.

Fulltext (public)

There are no public fulltexts stored in PuRe

Supplementary Material (public)

There is no public supplementary material available

Citation

Cox, E. J. (1990). Studies on the algae of a small softwater stream III. Interaction between discharge, sediment composition and diatom flora. Archiv für Hydrobiologie/Supplement (Monographische Beiträge), 83(4), 567-584.

Cite as: https://hdl.handle.net/11858/00-001M-0000-000F-CA2B-2

Abstract

Grain size analysis was carried out on dried sediments whose epipelic diatom floras had been previously investigated. Changes in the percentages of different particle fractions over a two year period were plotted and compared with changes in percentage abundance of different diatom genera, or groups of genera. Fluctuations in stream discharge were reflected in the relative proportions of coarser and finer sediment, and the relative stability of discharge in a spring region by a more constant, contrasting grain size distribution. Epipsammic and epilithic species were more abundant when the coarser sediment fraction was larger; epipelic Navicula and Nitzschia species increased on finer sediments. Different Navicula species showed contrasting occurence patterns. The role of sediments as nutrient traps is discussed and offered as an explanation of the presence of more eutrophic species of finer sediments. The activity of epipelic algae themselves also modifies the nature of the sediment, fostering more rapid accumulation of fine particles and contributing organic matter.