HISTORY OF DIATOM RESEARCH IN THE NETHERLANDS AND FLANDERS

The history of diatom research in The Netherlands and Flanders is summ arized in this report. A. van Leeuwenhoek observed diatoms as early as 1702. The first inventories were made in The Netherlands by R. B. van den Bosch (1846) and in Flanders by J.-J. Kickx (1867). Diatoms were already used in geological research in the second half of the nineteen th century. The Synopsis by H. van Heurck (1880-1885) enabled many twe ntieth century workers to do applied research for geological and ecolo gical purposes.