Kaszab Zoltán (szerk.): A Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum évkönyve 64. (Budapest 1972)

Kol, E.: Snow algae from Signy Island (South Orkney Islands, Antarctica)

ANNALES HISTORICO-NATURALES -MUSEI NATIONALIS HUNGARICL Tomus 64. 1972. Snow Algae from Signy Island (South Orkney Islands, Antarctica) By E. KOL, Budapest The investigation of microorganisms inhabiting the snow and ice fields of the Antarctic is a scientific project closely connected with the exploration of the Antarctic Regions. And from the point of view of aerobiological studies, researches concerning the spreading of cryobiont organisms on the surface of the Earth also play an important role. Until now, literature recorded red, yellow, and green snows and green ice from the Antarctica. The cryovegetation of the Antarctica might be grouped as follows : 1. microvegetation of the snow, 2. microvegetation of the ice, 3. facultative cryovegetation appearing on the seasonal ice of freshwaters, 4. cryoedaphon. The present paper deals with microorganisms found in snow samples deriving from Signy Island. Cryobiologieal investigations on the South Orkney Islands Dr. R. N. RUDMOEE BROWN, botanist of the "Scottish National Antarctic Expedition" (1902-4), was the first to coHect red and yellow snow on the South Orkneys. ERITSCH found the following algal communities in these snow samples (1911, 1912): Algae of the yellow snows: Protoderrna Broumvi sp. n., Ghlorosphaera antarctica sp. n., Scotiella antarctica gen. n. et sp. n., Sc. polyptera sp. n., Pteromonas nivalis CHOD., Ghodatella brevispina sp. n., Oocystis I'acustris CHOD. fo. nivalis fo. n., Sphaerocystis Schroeteri CHOD. fo. nivalis fo. n., Trochiscia antarctica sp. n., Paphidonema nivale LAGERH., Paphidiuni pyrenogerum CHOD., Ulothrix subtilis KÜTZ., Oedogonium sp., Pleurococcus vulgaris MENEGIL, C hlamydomonas caudata WILLE., Mesotaenium Endlicherianum NAEG., Nostoc minutissimwm KÜTZ. In the red snow of the South Orkneys FRITSCH found the following algae (1912: 120): Chlamydomonas nivalis (SOMMERF.) Wille(î),CM. sp., Scotiella antarctica F. E. FRITSCH, Paphidonema nivale LAGERH., Oedogonium sp., Zygnema sp., Melosira sol KG., Coscinodiscus radiatus EHRB., Navicula borealis (EHRB.), KG., Amphora ovális KG., Triceratium sp,. (T. arcticum BRIGHT?). As far as I know, Professor G. E. FOGG was the first to conduct cryobiologieal and cryophysiological investigations in situ in the Antarctica, indeed, on the Signy Island itself, in 1966 (FOGG, 1967, 1970). He recorded (1967: 281) the following microorganisms from the variously coloured snows of the island : green snow: Paphidonema nivale, Chodatella brevispina, Ochromonas (?) sp.; yellow snow: Ghlorosphaera antarctica, Paphidonema nivale, Scotiella antarctica, Ochromonas (?) sp.; red snow: Ghlorosphaera antarctica, red spore, Paphidonema nivale, Ghodatélla brevispina, Scotiella antarctica, Ochromonas (?) sp. From the green snow of Coronation Island, FOGG identified the following algal species: Chlamydomonas nivalis, Ghlorosphaera antarctica, Paphidonema nivale, Hormidium subtile (Ulothrix subtilis KÜTZ. of FRITSCH), Trochiscia antarctica, Ochromonas (?) sp.