Kaszab Zoltán (szerk.): A Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum évkönyve 63. (Budapest 1971)

Kol, E.: Green snow and ice from the Antarctica

ANNALES HISTORICO-NATURALES MUSEI NATIONALIS HUNGARICI Tomus 63. PARS BOTANICA 1971. Green Snow and Ice from the Antarctica By E. KOL, Budapest We are still far from knowing adequately the microorganisms of the Antarctic freshwaters, soil, snow and ice. As far as I know, the first substantial freshwater algae have been collected by HOOKER and HARVEY, on the occasion of "The Antarctic voyage of H. M. Discovery ships Erebus and Terror, in the year 1839—43". Since that time, freshwater algae have been brought home by several expeditions to the Antarctica. But the coloured snow of the Antartctica has been observed only by the end of the last century. Until now, literature recorded red, yellow and green snows, and green ice from the Antartctica. The Antarctic cryovegetation might be grouped as follows: 1. microvegetation of the snow, 2. microvegetation of the ice, 3. the facultative cryovegetation appearing on the seasonal ice of freshwaters, 4. cryoedaphon. The microorganisms of the green snow and ice of Terre Adélie Professor P. M. ARNAUD, Marseilles, has kindly sent me the most valuable and interesting green cryoseston material collected on the Antarctica in 1962. ("Prélèvement de neige et glace vertes fait an Terre Adélie [Antarktique de l'Est] en 26. IL 1962. et conserve dans alcool. Dr. P. M. ARNAUD — Archipel de Polte Geologie.") I am glad to have this opportunity to thank Professor ARNAUD for placing this interesting material at my disposal. The green cryoseston sample contained the following Chlorophyta algae: Bracteococcus minor (CHOD.) PETROVÁ var. glaciális FLINT (Pl. Í, Figs. 9—13); Fig. I. Mass proportions of the microorganisms of the green snow and ice: 1 = Bracteococcus minor (CHOD.) PETROVÁ var. glaciális FLINT = 25%; 2 = Chlamydomonas ballenyana KOL = 60%; 3 = Cryocystis brevispina (FRITSCH) KOL fo. groenlandica KOL, Cryocystis granulosa KOL = 5% ; 4 = Scotiella nivalis (SHUTTLEW.) FRITSCH, Scotiella polyptera FRITSCH = 10%.