Temporal and spatial variability of terrestrial diatoms at the catchment scale: controls on communities.

ABSTRACT: Diatoms are generally regarded as inhabitants of water bodies. However, numerous taxa are able to survive and reproduce in a variety of non-aquatic ecosystems. Although terrestrial diatoms are discussed extensively in the literature, most of those studies covered floristic aspects and few information exists on their ecology. This lack of knowledge thwarts their potential use as environmental markers in various applications. As a way forward, we investigated the seasonal patterns and the role of different disturbances on the community composition. We collected soil diatom samples in 16 sites across the Attert River basin (Luxembourg) every 4 weeks for a period of 14 months. Our results indicate that forests create a stable microhabitat for diatoms and that temporal variation of the diatom c

SUBMITTER: Foets J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6944102 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature