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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 57(8)

Congruence and disparity in benthic diatom community structure of small lakes in New Zealand and Tasmania

K. Vanhoutte A , E. Verleyen A , K. Sabbe A , C. Kilroy B , M. Sterken A and W. Vyverman A C
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Ghent University, Department of Biology, Section Protistology & Aquatic Ecology, Krijgslaan 281-S8, 9000 Gent, Belgium.

B The National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA), PO Box 8602, Christchurch, New Zealand.

C Corresponding author. Email: wim.vyverman@ugent.be

Marine and Freshwater Research 57(8) 789-801 https://doi.org/10.1071/MF06033
Submitted: 23 February 2006  Accepted: 12 September 2006   Published: 28 November 2006

Abstract

The ecological characteristics of benthic diatom genera from lakes and tarns in mountainous areas of Tasmania (76 lakes) and the South Island (65 lakes) and Stewart Island (6 lakes) of New Zealand were investigated. Community composition and diversity were mainly governed by gradients in calcium, pH and the monovalent/divalent ionic (M/D) ratio, with typical acidophilous and calciphilous communities present in both regions. Highest genus diversity occurred in the pH range between 5.5 and 7.5. Marked interregional differences were present in both calciphilous and acidophilous diatom community assemblages, which were at least partially related to variations in the concentration of the chloride, sodium, potassium and humic substances. Acidophilous communities in New Zealand were typically dominated by Frustulia, Brachysira and Kobayasiella, whereas Eunotia and Actinella dominated in Tasmania. Calciphilous communities in New Zealand were characterised by higher relative abundances of the genera Hantzschia, Diploneis, Nupela, Stauroneis and Synedra, whereas their Tasmanian counterparts were typified by the genera Amphora (subgenus Psammamphora), Biremis, Navicula and Psammothidium. The provinciality of the floras underscores the need for continued protection and conservation of high latitude aquatic ecosystems worldwide and in the Australasian region in particular.

Extra keywords: alpine, calcium, diversity, humic substances, lake, mire, pH, tarn.


Acknowledgments

Financial support for this work was provided by the Australian Biological Resources Study (Diversity, Ecology and Biogeography of Australian Freshwater Diatoms) and FKFO Project No. G.0292.00 (Comparative morphological and molecular–taxonomical studies of Bacillariophyta, Nematoda, Crustacea and Rotifera). E. Verleyen is a Senior Research Fellow and is funded by Scientific Research-Flanders (FWO-Flanders, Belgium). C. Kilroy was funded by the New Zealand Foundation for Research, Science and Technology (Contract No. C01X0219). W. Vyverman received a visiting scientist grant from NIWA. We also thank two anonymous reviewers for improving the manuscript.


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