Abdullin Sh.R.
В журнале Phytocoenologia
Год: 2020 Том: 50 Номер: 3 Страницы: 235-248
Question: Caves are unique ecosystems with a peculiar biota that include cyanobacteria and algae. The studies on cyanobacterial–algal cenoses (CAC) in caves are scarce, and no comparisons between CAC of cave and surface ecosystems have yet been made. Are there any differences between the CAC of cave and surface ecosys-tems? Study area: Data were collected from the hydrological system of the Shulgan River, including the Shul-gan-Tash (Kapova) cave, in the South Urals, Russia. Methods: Forty-one samples were collected from across five sites, including surface and underground habitats, between 2000–2006 and in 2013. Cyanobacteria and algae species composition in the samples was identified by light microscopy. CAC were classified according to the Braun-Blanquet approach and PCA analysis. Results: In the investigated sites of the Shulgan River, 117 species and intraspecific taxa of cyanobacteria and algae belonging to five divisions were identified. Of syntaxa, the Meridionetum circulare nom. nov. (Naviculetea gregariae class) was described in the surface habitats up-stream of the Shulgan River. In the Shulgan-Tash cave, the Hantzschio amphioxys–Nitzschietum paleae association (Mychonastetea homosphaerae class) was found. In the surface habitats of the lower current of the Shulgan River, after the Shulgan-Tash cave, the Tribonemetum viride ass. nova (Naviculetea gregariae class) was found. PCA analysis corroborated the results of the syntaxonomy analysis and revealed two main factors influencing the floristic composition of the investigated communities: the type of bottom sediment and light intensity. In the surface habitats of the Shulgan River, Bacillariophyta dominated, whereas cyanobacteria, dia-toms, and green algae dominated the underground hydrological system. Conclusions: The CAC of the underground hydrological system of the Shulgan River in the Shulgan-Tash cave system differ from those of the river’s surface hydrological system at all levels of the syntaxonomic hierarchy.
