The Diversity of Chrysophycean Algae in an Arctic Zone of River and Sea Water Mixing, Russia

Abstract

According to the results of studies in the region of lower Yenisei River to the Kara Sea shelf in September 2009, the flora of chrysophyte algae in the zone of river and sea water mixing comprises 43 species of the classes Chrysophyceae and Synurophyceae. Most of them are cosmopolitan and widespread, but four rare species have also been recorded. The most frequent species are Synura petersenii f. petersenii, S. petersenii f. kufferathii, Spiniferomonas takahashii, Mallomonas acaroides, and M. crassisquama. The composition of chrysophyte flora in the study region is similar to that in some lakes of the Taimyr Peninsula. It has been found that the diversity of chrysophytes in the zone of river and sea water mixing depends on water salinity, with a group of species occurring at increased salinity levels. It includes Chrysosphaerella coronacircumspina (5.2‰), Kephyrion spirale (5.2‰) and Mallomonas crassisquama (8‰). These data contribute to knowledge of how the distribution of chrysophytes responds to changes in ecological conditions such as water salinity, turbidity, pH, and concentrations of oxygen and mineral phosphorus.