Four aeroterrestrial algae grown at aspecial substrate of deglaciated coastal areas of Petuniabukta, Svalbard

Abstract

The bone remnants of sea mammals are frequently dispersed everywhere in coastal areas of Svalbard Archipelago represent aspecific natural habitat which is colonized by aeroterrestrial microscopic algae. Such bone habitat might be considered an analogue to stone substrates. However, bone habitats are not included in ecological studies of polar region. In the present study, thorough observations were made on some algal strains isolated to laboratory cultures. They included two green algal species Pseudodictyo-chloris multinucleata and Tetracystis pulchra, as well as two stramenopile algal species Heterococcus papillosus and Xanthonema debile. All these taxa are new additions to the Svalbard flora.