Notes on freshwater and terrestrial algae from Ny-Alesund, Svalbard (high Arctic sea area)

Abstract

Field survey of algae and cyanobacteria from terrestrial and freshwater habitats in the vicinity of arctic Ny-Alesund, Svalbard (79 degrees N) (high Arctic sea area) was performed in June 2006. Species diversity and abundance were evaluated by using epifluorescence microscopy and culturing methods. In total, 29 taxa in 25 genera were identified, of which Leptolyngbya spp., Trichormus sp. and Chlamydomonas nivalis were abundantly present in-almost every sample. In several locations, blooms were formed by species C. nivalis, Scotiellopsis sp., Klebsormidium flaccidum, Zygnema sp., Meridion circulare, Tabellaria fenestrata and Fragilaria sp. Eleven new species from this locality are described.