The moss dwelling testacean fauna of île de la Possession

An ecological study of the moss dwelling testacean fauna (Protozoa, Rhizopoda) on Île de la Possession (Crozet Archipelago, sub-Antarctica) revealed 83 taxa, belonging to 21 genera. The moss flora was dominated by cosmopolitan and ubiquitous taxa, such as Trinema lineare, T. enchelys, Euglypha laevi...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Polar biology 2004-11, Vol.27 (12), p.753-766
Main Authors: VINCKE, Sofie, GREMMEN, Niek, BEYENS, Louis, DE VIJVER, Bart Van
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animal and plant ecology
Animal, plant and microbial ecology
Aquatic plants
Arcella arenaria
Archipelagoes
Biological and medical sciences
Cluster analysis
Corythion dubium
Difflugiella crenulata
Distribution patterns
Ecological studies
Euglypha laevis
Euglypha rotunda
Fauna
Flora
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Habitats
Mosses
Particular ecosystems
Rhizopoda
Synecology
Taxa
Trinema lineare
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Summary:An ecological study of the moss dwelling testacean fauna (Protozoa, Rhizopoda) on Île de la Possession (Crozet Archipelago, sub-Antarctica) revealed 83 taxa, belonging to 21 genera. The moss flora was dominated by cosmopolitan and ubiquitous taxa, such as Trinema lineare, T. enchelys, Euglypha laevis and E. rotunda. A cluster analysis and a correspondence analysis identified three communities: (1) a Corythion dubium assemblage found in a drier, slightly acidic terrestrial moss vegetation, (2) the Arcella arenaria, and (3) the Difflugiella crenulata assemblages, both characteristic of wetter, circumneutral habitats. The latter typified submerged mosses growing in running water, while the A. arenaria assemblage seemed to prefer mosses in standing waterbodies. Moisture conditions appeared to play a key role in determining the distribution pattern of testacean communities, while pH was only a secondary factor. A logistic regression emphasised the effect of the habitat type in controlling the variance in testacean assemblages. Moreover, the close relationship between bryophyte species and habitat type had a significant influence on the distribution pattern of the testate amoebae. Weighted averaging and calibration were used to estimate moisture optima and tolerances of the testate amoebae.[PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]
ISSN:0722-4060
1432-2056
DOI:10.1007/s00300-004-0655-8