High-density metals and arsenic in algae of storm emissions from the coastal area of the Severny island of the Novaya Zemlya archipelago

Purpose of the Study is to assess the potential hazard in terms of the content of high-density metals (HDMs) and arsenic (As) for the consumption of objects of the Arctic algal flora presented in storm emissions in places of probable disembarkation of a crew, the ship has come in a distress or a disaster in the water area of the northern seas of the Russian Federation.Materials and methods. The elemental composition of samples of the plants thrown by the wind-wave impact on the coastal area of the Severny island of the Novaya Zemlya archipelago. Before making the analysis, thallus fragments were dried at 80° C to constant weight to determine their dry weight with an accuracy of 1 mg. The material mineralization was carried out using a microwave mineralizer according to the standard technique. The elementary analysis was performed using MGA-915M atomic spectrometer. The data obtained were compared with the maximum permissible levels established by the current regulatory documents. According to the results of measurements, series of decreasing concentrations of HDMs in algae samples were built according to the places of collection and species.Results and Discussion. It has been found that the lowest content of HDMs and arsenic in the wind-wave emissions of algae on the Severny Island in the Russkaya Gavan Bay of the Novaya Zemlya archipelago belongs to both Laminaria digitata and vegetative parts of the thallus of most of the other ejected algae. These plants can be used for food in extreme situations by the crews of a ship (an aircraft, etc.) who has come in a distress or a disaster.

Enlisting Aero-algal Flora and Algal Allergens Using Fan Dust Sampling Method from Pune, Maharashtra

Algae in the atmosphere are one of the bio-components of the environment. Despite the fact that they may have a negative impact on human health, they are the least studied organism in the field of aerobiology. Airborne algae continue to be viable in the atmosphere in the form of spores and filaments. In order to investigate the intramural diversity of airborne algae in Pune, eight residences were chosen, from which 16 fan dust samples were collected over a ten-day period. Total (108) aero-algal forms were recorded. Out of which 107 were Cyanophyta, and only one was Chlorophyta. The dominance of Cyanophyta members is attributed to the presence of a thick mucilaginous sheath around them, which allows them to tolerate the dryness. Overall, filamentous cyanophytes (71) outnumber coccoid cyanophytes (36). However, both fan dust slide samples and culture slide samples show variance. Coccoid cyanophytes (53) outnumber filamentous cyanophytes (11) in direct slide scans, although filamentous cyanophytes (25) were somewhat more numerous in culture samples than coccoid Cyanophyta (19). This increase in filamentous forms might be because of hormogonia of filamentous algae, which remained unidentified in direct slide scan and upon inoculation underwent reproduction increasing number of filamentous algae in culture slides. Chrooccocus, Gloeocapsa, Lyngbya, Nostoc, and Stigonema were among the forms found on the first and tenth days of fan dust sampling, indicating that they were a common inhabitant of fan dust during the study and that the fan, as an aero sampler, was able to capture them, demonstrating its potency as an aero sampler. Soil can be a substantial factor in the creation of fan dust, as these genera were frequently separated from the soil. Gloeocapsa, Phormidium, Lyngbya, Schizothrix, Cylindrospermum, Nostoc, Anabaena, Scytonema, Calothrix, and Scenedesmus were among the allergic aero-algal genera discovered during the investigation.

First generic record of aero-terrestrial algae Apatococcus lobatus (Chodat) J.B.Petersen for algal flora of Nepal

Short note

Algoflora of lakes in the Kurgal’sky Nature reserve (Leningrad region)

Various algocenosises in the brackish Lake Lipovskoe and ultra-oligotrophic Lake Beloe located in the Kurgal’sky Nature reserve were studied in May and July of 2019. In the algal flora of the lakes studied, we found 291 taxa belonging to 9 orders. The both lakes were characterized by high species richness, namely: 179 and 181 algae taxa were identified in the Lake Lipovskoe and Lake Beloe, respectively. In the Lake Lipovskoe, its phytoplankton was dominated by Cyanophyta, Cryptophyta and Dinophyta, among which brackish-water and marine species were presented. In the periphyton of this Lake, brackish-water diatoms and green algae were the most abundant. In the Lake Beloe, its phytoplankton was dominated by Dinophyta, Bacillariophyta and Chlorophyta; the blue-greens, diatoms and green algae dominated in the periphyton of Lake Beloe. Despite that the lakes are located close to each other, their algal flora is quite different: the Sorensen similarity index between the two lakes was 38% only. The phytoplankton biomass in both lakes was low, increasing from spring to summer. In the Lake Lipovskoe, the phytoplankton biomass varied from 0.45 to 1.9 mg/L, chlorophyll a fluctuated from 3.9 to 7.1 µg/L. In the Lake Beloe, the phytoplankton biomass varied from 0.3 to 1.4 mg/L, chlorophyll a fluctuated from 0.45 to 1.3 µg/L. The periphyton biomass was 20 g/m2 (chlorophyll a being 22 mg/m2 ) and 17 g/m2 (chlorophyll a being 17 mg/m2 ) in the Lake Lipovskoe and Lake Beloe, respectively. Nowadays, the ecological status of both lakes can be considered satisfactory, because based on trophic conditions and species compositions they belong to waterbodies of clean and satisfactory clean conditions (II–III classes of water quality). To preserve the unique flora of the lakes in the Kurgal’sky Nature reserve, nature-protected measures should be strengthened.

Rare and new for Antarctica species of algae from the continental waterbodies of Schirmacher Oasis

One rare (Dinobryon cylindricum) and two new (Gonium pectorale, Staurastrum orbiculare) for the Antarctic algal flora species were found in the waterbodies of Schirmacher Oasis (East Antarctica). Their locations are described. Data on morphology, ecology and distribution of the recorded species are summarized.

Environmental diagnosing of the new algal pollution of Tigris River in Iraq

The purpose of this study is to use eDNA in the biodiversity of the Tigris river’s sediment. Algal samples were collected and examined under light microscopy. The collected algae were cultured, and after their growth, the DNA extractions were made from culture and amplified 16S ribosomal RNA gene partial sequences data by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). Phylogenetic identification of species was conducted by the evaluation of obtained sequence analysis data by using computer software. Leptolyngbya benthonica (MN 714226.1) and Nostoc paludosum (MN 714225.1) were identified by molecular analysis and registered at NCBI and considered as a new record to the algal flora of Iraq. Implementing molecular data in the taxonomy of species will be essential to solve the taxonomic problems associated with microscopic methods.

Characteristic of phytoplankton and water quality assessment in the Amur River at Khabarovsk in the ice-free period of 2018–2019

Species composition and taxonomic structure of phytoplankton communities in the main channel of the Amur at Khabarovsk (Russia) were monitored from spring to autumn of 2018–2019. In total, 187 species, varieties and forms of algae and cyanobacteria were found belonged to 8 phyla (Cyanobacteria, Bacillariophyta, Charophyta, Chlorophyta, Heterokontophyta, Rhodophyta, Euglenozoa, and Miozoa) and 75 genera. Diatoms formed the basis of the algal flora (94.7 % of the total species number). Mass vegetations of the diatoms and charophytes were observed with dominance of Asterionella formosa, Aulacoseira islandica, A. ambigua, A. granulata var. granulata, A. granulata var. angustissima, Ulnaria ulna, Diatoma tenue, Nitzschia acicularis, Stephanodiscus sp., Tabellaria flocculosa, Hannaea arcus var. rectus, Melosira varians, Fragilaria capucina var. vaucheriae, F. crotonensis, and Mougeotia sp. ster. Total number and biomass of plankton algae and cyanobacteria varied in the ranges of 1.74–5724.39 million cells/L and 2.5–2648.5 mg/L in spring-summer and 0.07–0.62 million cells/L and 0.2–1.4 mg/L in autumn. The water quality was evaluated by Pantle-Buck method modified by Sládeček as the betamezosaprobic III class (slightly polluted).

The Marine Benthic Algal Flora of Puerto Rico, I. Ochrophyta: Phaeophyceae, Pelagophyceae, and Xanthophyceae

This treatment is a taxonomic study of the benthic species of Ochrophyta known from Puerto Rico, Caribbean Sea. In all, 3 classes, 10 orders, 16 families, 33 genera, and 77 species occur in the benthic marine communities in Puerto Rico. Of these, three species of <i>Sargassum </i>are found only as unattached and free-floating. A brief summary of phycological studies in Puerto Rico and ecological descriptions of the most common marine habitats are presented. Along with date, place, and author(s) of valid publication for all genera and species, type locality information and descriptive accounts of vegetative morphological and reproductive anatomy are provided. Distribution of each species is given, and where relevant, comments on their habitat and their taxonomic and nomenclatural status are discussed. A key to the genera and keys to species within genera are included. Either an in situ or other illustration accompanies most species. Two new geographical distribution records for Puerto Rico and a description of one new species, <i>Lobophora brooksii</i> D. L. Ballant. et J. N. Norris, are included. <br>

REVISION OF ALGAL FLORA (DIATOMS) CHECKLIST IN TIGRIS RIVER WITHIN BAGHDAD CITY -IRAQ

The present study was confined to a taxonomical and systematical revision of all so far, recorded diatoms from study was Tigris River within Baghdad district. There is a lot of confusion in the naming and nomenclature of this and other groups of algae in Iraq and even in the whole middle east. Since various systematic categories have been used and applied for the identification of diatoms and another algal taxon. More than half of all so far, known diatoms (a total of 345 taxa) have been renamed by the most recent internationally accepted system of classification. In the current study, Bacillariophyta in Tigris involves 27 species of Coscinodiscophyceae, 48 species of Fragilariophyceae whereas, all other 267 species were found within Bacillariophyceae within the Baghdad district. All these taxa have been rearranged, revised, and renamed accordingly, to avoid any confusion or mistakes in naming diatoms in the future, however undoubtedly this will enhance a wider revision to include all other known algal taxon in Iraq and even the whole Middle east.