Recent and fossil freshwater diatoms of Poland : taxonomy, distribution and their significance in the environmental reconstruction, Part 1, Coscinodiscophyceae, Mediophyceae and Fragilariophycidae

Abstract

High-resolution diatom investigation from the Polish ecosystem is presented as a contribution to our knowledge of diatom floristics, ecology, biogeography, and their significance in environmental and climate reconstruction in Poland. The study is based on the analysis of 821 sediment samples taken from different lakes in northern Poland, besides 8 borehole-originated from the Eemian paleolakes sites in central Poland. The preceding diatom results in published papers included the diatom flora that were recorded from different habitats in Poland are mentioned in the present work to complete the Polish diatoms list. The current work is the first part in a series of monographs dealing with the diatom taxa belonging to classes Coscinodiscophyceae, Mediophyceae and subclass Fragilariophycidae. A total of 269 diatom species and varieties belonging to 38 genera are recognized. The checklist is comprising 86 entries of Coscinodiscophyceae that includes all radial centric diatoms and 183 taxa of Fragilariophyceae that includes araphid pennate diatoms. Of these 97 diatom taxa are represented as a new record for Poland and 12 new combinations and new varieties. A detailed diatom description, distribution in Poland, andautecological information are presented to round up the content of this volume and documented with 120 plates including 2423 excellent light micrographs of diatom taxa, which allows for a better understanding of morphology to aid in the identification. This work is proposed to contribute towards a general view of the high diatom biodiversity that characterizes Polish ecosystems and provides a revised diatom checklist from Poland. Additionally, it offers the first taxonomic and autecological catalog, which will be significant in the assessment of the water quality monitoring, paleoenvironmental interpretation, and construct the paleoclimate changes.