Diatoms (Bacillariophyceae) in the Water Bodies of the Arboretum in Rogów

The present study contains the results of investigations the taxonomic composition of diatoms in the water bodies of the alpine garden Arboretum in Rogów. It is the first study devoted to the diatoms of this area.Zadanie pt. „Digitalizacja i udostępnienie w Cyfrowym Repozytorium Uniwersytetu Łódzkiego kolekcji czasopism naukowych wydawanych przez Uniwersytet Łódzki” nr 885/P-DUN/2014 zostało dofinansowane ze środków MNiSW w ramach działalności upowszechniającej naukę

Half a century of research on diatoms in athalassic habitats in central Poland

The authors would like to dedicate this paper to Prof. Marcin Pliński who started the phycological research in these unique habitats of Central Poland.Part of the geology in the Łódź province was formed during the Upper Permian period when rich Zechstein salt was deposited. Groundwater drains the deposits and flows out in the village of Pełczyska, creating a unique hydrogeological site in Central Poland. An inland, athalassic ecosystem can be a reference site for halophile microflora. The outflow with surrounding marshes has been an algological research site since 1964. The research reveals changes recorded in diatom assemblages from athalassic habitats, characterized by a wide range of salinity levels, and verifies the tolerance of taxa to salinity. The comparative analysis was based on the diatom material sampled in 1964-1965, 1992-1994 and on recently collected samples. The analysis revealed the temporal change in assemblages caused by a change in the chloride concentration, and the spatial change from one to another habitat type, characterized by varying salinity levels. The halophilic species in the studied habitats included e.g. Halamphora dominici, H. tenerrima, Navicula digitoconvergens, N. meulemansii, Staurophora salina. The analysis of changes allowed the verification of the species’ requirements and tolerance range to the salinity factor. Therefore, in the case of Fragilaria famelica and Halamphora sydowii, we propose a change in the halobion system classification

Cyanobacteria microflora in a limestone spring (Troniny spring, Central Poland)

The paper reports a study of cyanobacterial diversity in a cold-water limestone limnocrene in Central Poland. Samples were collected from 1998 to 2000 and in June 2012. The morphology, population characteristics and species composition of the cyanobacteria assemblages were investigated, and the frequency of taxa was recorded. The large number of taxa identified (30) reflects the microhabitat heterogeneity of this spring. Some species considered epiphytes grew on limestone rocks. The occurrence of the majority of the most frequent taxa was related to the physicochemical characteristics of the spring, but none of them can be considered obligatory crenobionts characteristic of limestone springs. The studied spring is a unique ecosystem with an interesting cyanobacteria microflora whose occurrence is attributable to the spring’s water chemistry, low temperature and variety of microhabitats

Persistent cyanobacteria blooms in artificial water bodies : an effect of environmental conditions or the result of anthropogenic change

Algal blooms are an emerging problem. The massive development of phytoplankton is driven partly by the anthropogenic eutrophication of aquatic ecosystems and the expansion of toxic cyanobacteria in planktonic communities in temperate climate zones by the continual increase in global temperature. Cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (CyanoHABs) not only disturb the ecological balance of the ecosystem, but they also prevent the use of waterbodies by humans. This study examines the cause of an unusual, persistent bloom in a recreational, flow-through reservoir; the findings emphasize the role played by the river supplying the reservoir in the formation of its massive cyanobacterial bloom. Comprehensive ecosystem-based environmental studies were performed, including climate change investigation, hydrochemical analysis, and bio-assessment of the ecological state of the river/reservoir, together with monitoring the cyanobacteria content of phytoplankton. Our findings show that the persistent and dominant biomass of Microcystis was related to the N/P ratio, while the presence of Aphanizomenon and Dolichospermum was associated with the high-temperature end electric conductivity of water. Together with the increase in global temperature, the massive and persistent cyanobacterial bloom appears to be maintained by the inflow of biogenic compounds carried by the river and the high electric conductivity of water. Even at the beginning of the phenomenon, the reservoir water already contained cyanobacterial toxins, which excluded its recreational use for about half the year

Algoflora and vascular flora of a limestone spring in the Warta river valley

Qualitative analysis of algae, including microhabitats and vascular vegetation in a spring niche, together with basic physical and chemical characteristics is presented. 175 diatom taxa as well as taxa of macroalgae and vascular plants were determined in the spring niche, and the community types were defined. Seasonal variability of diatom communities was observed. The influence of a flood as a catastrophe on the community of diatoms and macroalgae was noticed

Use of diatoms in forensics

Okrzemki ze względu na powszechność występowania w środowiskach wodnych mogą być wykorzystywane w kryminalistyce w wielu aspektach. Te jednokomórkowe organizmy są przydatne nie tylko do wsparcia diagnozy, że przyczyną śmierci było utonięcie, lecz także do potwierdzenia, czy zbiornik wodny, w którym ujawniono zwłoki, jest tym samym, w którym doszło do utonięcia. Analiza składu ilościowego i jakościowego okrzemek na odzieży oraz na obuwiu może posłużyć do potwierdzenia lub obalenia wersji kryminalistycznych oraz ustalenia, czy konkretna osoba mogła mieć kontakt z określonym środowiskiem wodnym. Cechą predysponującą okrzemki do wykorzystania w kryminalistyce jest trwała i odporna na większość związków chemicznych oraz na wysoką temperaturę ściana komórkowa nazywana pancerzykiem. Pancerzyk ten można izolować z wielu podłoży, poddając je ekstrakcji różnymi metodami, a ze względu na jego specyficzne cechy morfologiczne – wielkość, kształt, ornamentację – ustalić, z jakimi gatunkami okrzemek mamy do czynieniaDue to the common occurrence in aquatic environments, diatoms may be used in forensics in many aspects. These single-celled organisms are useful not only to support the diagnosis that the cause of death was drowning, but also to confirm whether the reservoir in which the corpse was found is the same as the one in which drowning has occurred. Quantitative and qualitative analysis of diatoms present on clothing and footwear can be used to confirm or refute forensic hypotheses and to determine whether a particular person has had contact with a particular water environment. The characteristics that predisposes diatoms to be used in forensics is a cell wall called a frustules – durable and resistant to most chemical compounds and to high temperature. The frustules can be recovered from many types of surfaces by different extraction methods, and based on its specific morphological characteristics, such as size, shape, ornamentation, the particular species of diatom can be identified

Caddisflies (Trichoptera) and diatoms of some springs in the vicinity of Łódź (Central Poland)

Kwiatkowska, Katarzyna, Żelazna-Wieczorek, Joanna, Ziułkiewicz, Maciej, Majecki, Janusz (2016): Caddisflies (Trichoptera) and diatoms of some springs in the vicinity of Łódź (Central Poland). Zootaxa 4138 (1): 118-126, DOI: http://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4138.1.

Silver nanoparticles as a control agent against facades coated by aerial algae—A model study of <i>Apatococcus lobatus</i> (green algae)

<div><p>Aerial algae are an important biological factor causing the biodegradation of building materials and facades. Conservation procedures aimed at the protection of historic and utility materials must be properly designed to avoid an increase of the degradation rate. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of silver nanoparticles (AgNP) synthetized with features contributing to the accessibility and toxicity (spherical shape, small size) on the most frequently occurring species of green algae in aerial biofilms and thus, the most common biodegradation factor–<i>Apatococcus lobatus</i>. Changes in the chloroplasts structure and the photosynthetic activity of the cells under AgNP exposure were made using confocal laser microscopy and digital image analysis and the estimation of growth inhibition rate was made using a biomass assay. In the majority of cases, treatment with AgNP caused a time and dose dependant degradation of chloroplasts and decrease in the photosynthetic activity of cells leading to the inhibition of aerial algae growth. However, some cases revealed an adaptive response of the cells. The response was induced by either a too low, or—after a short time—too high concentration of AgNP. Taken together, the data suggest that AgNP may be used as a biocide against aerial algal coatings; however, with a proper caution related to the concentration of the nanoparticles.</p></div