Microalgal taxonomic diversity rom shallow acidophilus freshwater bodies from the south of Chile

Abstract

This research is the first taxonomic approach about the microalgae inhabiting shallow acidophilus freshwater bodies (Chapito pool, “small dam” and Tepual stream) within the Katalapi Park, X Region, Chile. A total of 80 taxa were identified based on morphocytological attributes, being the Streptophyta-Zygnematophyceae the most abundant group with a dominance of Desmidiaceae (47 species), follow by Cyanobacteria (14), Euglenophyceae (12), Chlorophyta-Chlorophyceae (5), and Dinophyceae and Ochrophyta-Raphidophyceae with one taxon each group. The genera with the higher number of species were Cosmarium (12), Closterium (11) and Staurastrum (8). The pH ranged from 5.0 to 6.1 during the recollection period. Most of the desmids species identified (70.2 %) are from acidophilus environments, 48.6 % are indicators of mesotrophy and 21.6% of meso-oligotrophic habitats. Twenty-four species are cited for the first time for Chile. Although the study was restricted to a relatively small area, the results suggest that a great diversity of microalgae might be also found in similar ecological areas within the country.