Kaszab Zoltán (szerk.): A Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum évkönyve 69. (Budapest 1977)
P. Komáromy, Zs.: The algal flora of the Ördöglyuk cave at Szoplak (Hungary)
Navicula minima GRÜN. (Fig. 6). — Most of the samples included this species in different phenological stages. Nitzschia communis PVABENH. — Very few cells were present in disorganizational stage in forest soil only. Nitzschia communis var. perpusilla RABENH. (Fig. 7). — Common in the samples from clay, but scarce in cave soil. Living cells were observed in clay only. Nitzschia palea KÜTZ. (Fig. 8). •— A fair number was observed in forest soil, but it was in disorganizational stage only. CYANOPHYCEAE Gloeocapsa punctata NAG. (Fig. 12). — It was collected in a large quantity from the rock wall, and it was growing well in cultures too. Phormidium foveolarum (MONT.) GOM. — This species occurred in forest soil and in cave clay. Phormidium uncinatum (AGH.) GOM. — It was observed in forest soil only. Plectonema srraeillima (ZOPF.) HANGS. (Fig. 11) — It is a specific component of "rockvegetation" and was observed in most of the samples from rock wall. A few specimens also grew on clay at the bottom of the cliff. Results and discussion The different sampling localities are unlike in their ecological conditions. The brown forest soil originating from the outside retained its peculiar composition of algal flora, since the place where it accumulated falls outside tourist routes. This transferred soil is permanently wet and numerous hydrophilous plants are growing on it. The clay covering the floor of the first gallery is very solid owing to trampling and it is slippery, but near the cliff there is a narrow marginal area on which some species are able to settle. The rock wall is rich in algae and mosses in permanently wet and lighted places, the marks of creeping rain water is readily perceptible. The second part of the cave, the main gallery has a specific character because it is completely dark and chilly, the accumulated soil is rich in moisture and organic matters (bat guano and rotted tree-trunks). In this cave section the light and temperature conditions are decisive in the selection of the algal species. The different ecological conditions are clearly reflected in the species composition of the examined biotopes. The brown forest soil of first gallery has a specific "forest soil type" algal flora : various Chlorella species, Stichococcus bacillaris, Pleurochloris magna, Vischeria stellata are the characteristic members, but it is also rich in diatoms (various Navicula and Nitzschia species, Hantzschia amphyoxis, Cymbella ventricosa) , owing to permanent moisture. It is very likely that from time to time a certain quantity of forest soil breaks into the sac, bringing down many living cells and spores. The latter are transported farther down into the lower levels of the cave by seeping and creeping water. Some of the species can live in the moist and nutritious cave soil for a long time, in spite of the complete darkness. Researchers observed that certain algal species were able to live without light by utilizing organic matters (e.g. FRITSCH 1948, FOGG 1953, CLATJS 1955, KOL 1966). Since most of such information refer to Chlorella strains and some similar data to Navicula and Nitzschia species, it is possible that Chlorella minutissima, Chlorella zofingensis, Hantzschia amphyoxis and Navicula contenta are in fact real components of the cave flora. DRAGANOV & DIMITROVA (1968) by using the Tchan's fluorescence microscopical method, also demonstrated active algae in the dark parts of some caves. If we consider that photons are present in the lower level of the cave by reflection of
