Abstract
Diatoms are generally regarded as inhabitants of water bodies. However, numerous taxa are able to survive and reproduce in a variety of non-aquatic ecosystems. Although terrestrial diatoms are discussed extensively in the literature, most of those studies covered floristic aspects and few information exists on their ecology. This lack of knowledge thwarts their potential use as environmental markers in various applications. As a way forward, we investigated the seasonal patterns and the role of different disturbances on the community composition. We collected soil diatom samples in 16 sites across the Attert River basin (Luxembourg) every 4 weeks for a period of 14 months. Our results indicate that forests create a stable microhabitat for diatoms and that temporal variation of the diatom communities is mainly controlled by farming practices rather than seasonal changes in environmental variables. We also found out that communities need one to 2 months to reestablish a new, stable community after a significant change in the environment. We were able to confirm the applicability of the Pollution-Sensitivity Index (IPS) to identify anthropic disturbances.
Highlights
Diatoms are generally regarded as inhabitants of water bodies
This paper mainly focuses on the temporal variability of terrestrial diatom communities and has special attention for seasonal patterns and the role of land uses (e.g., forest, agricultural fields anddisturbed grasslands), as anthropic disturbances, on the community composition
Diatom sampling was conducted in the Attert River basin, which covers an area of approximately 249 km2 and is located for the most part in Luxembourg with the exception of the western part, which is located in Belgium (4946′13.0′′ N, 559′9.2′′ E)
Summary
Numerous taxa are able to survive and reproduce in a variety of terrestrial ecosystems such as soils, mosses, wet walls and rocks (Smol & Stoermer, 2010). Those environments are much harsher for diatoms than aquatic habitats (Ress, 2012). Variables such as moisture and temperature could vary significantly over the course of a day or between two consecutive days and diatoms could experience frequent and prolonged periods of desiccation in certain moments. As the characteristic siliceous cell wall consists of many pores, they often decrease its number or create structures to enclose them on
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