Cladophora (Chlorophyta) as an ecological engineer in hypersaline lake Chersonesskoye: Distribution of diatom algae in the structured space of plant mats

Abstract

The genus Cladophora is one of the largest genera of green algae, representatives of which are found in all water bodies throughout the world. Cladophora creates habitats for different groups of organisms, including epiphytic unicellular algae. The aim of the article is to examine the vertical distribution of diatoms in the structured space of Cladophora mats and in benthic sediments of a hypersaline lake in Crimea. In the vertical structure of the Cladophora mat, the floating and benthic mats were distinguished, each having a characteristic structure. The total of 20 diatom species of 12 genera were observed throughout this study. The total abundance of diatoms and their biomass on Cladophora (per unit of dry biomass) and in benthic sediments (per unit of dry mass) varied over a wide range. On Cladophora, the abundance varied from 1.85 × 106 to 69.52 × 106 cells·g−1, and the biomass, from 7.77 to 157.43 mg·g−1. In the bottom sediment, the abundance varied from 6.05 × 106 to 16.87 × 106 cells·g−1, and the biomass, from 7.76 to 36.39 mg·g−1. The share of the diatom biomass in the wet mass of the entire Cladophora mat averaged 1.06%.

Keywords

• diatoms
• epibionts
• filamentous green algae
• floating mats
• hypersaline lake