Jackson Estuarine Laboratory
SYSTEMATICS AND ECOLOGY OF LYNGBYA SPP. AND ASSOCIATED SPECIES (CYANOPHYTA) IN A NEW ENGLAND SALT MARSH12
Abstract
Field populations of the most abundant filamentous blue‐green algae (cyanobacteria) from a northern New England salt marsh were examined for the presence of natural morphological clusters. A continuum in the distribution of average cell sizes and shapes for individual trichomes was evident. However, there was a high frequency of certain cell sizes (six cluster, which were also separated by several qualitatives characters (end cell shape, granule location, and cell color). In clonal cultures the trichomes of these culsters maintained the morphology of the original isolated trichome and thus morphology apperated to be stable. The clusters were either named according to Gietler's (1932.) terminology or assigned numbers if no adequate descriptions were availble: (1) Lyngyya and Phormidium spp., (2) Microcoleus chthonoplastes Thur. (3) Lyngbya sp.1, (4)Lyngbya sp. 2 (5) Lyngbya aestruarii (Mert.) Liebmann, and, (6) Lyngbya aestuarii (mert. Liebmann, and, (6) Lyngbya sp. 3. All goups had maximum asbundance in late summer. Microcoleus chthonoplastes occurred throughtout the; year, while Lyngbya aestuarri and Lynobya sp. 3 occurred throughout the summer and fall. It is concluded that both field and culture information are useful in enhancing our knowledge of blue‐green algal systematics.
Publication Date
11-1986
Journal Title
Journal of Phycology
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
Document Type
Article
Recommended Citation
Baker, K. Kromer. 1987. Systematics and ecology of Lyngbya spp. and associated species (Cyanophyta) in a New England salt marsh. Journal of Phycology 23:201-208.