R. Santas et al., UVB RADIATION AND DEPTH INTERACTION DURING PRIMARY SUCCESSION OF MARINE DIATOM ASSEMBLAGES OF GREECE, Limnology and oceanography, 42(5), 1997, pp. 986-991
Exposure to UVB radiation caused shifts in the species composition of
diatom assemblages developing on ceramic tiles in a natural marine hab
itat near Korinthos, Greece. These differences in community structure
were more pronounced during the first month of community development.
The diatom species Mastogloia crucicula and Nitzschia constricta were
sensitive to both UVA and UVB radiation, while Amphora delicatissima,
Amphora veneta, Opephora olsenii, Synedra baccilaris, and Synedra robu
sta were excluded by exposure to UVB but not to UVA. Amphora robusta,
Cocconeis fluminensis, Mastogloia erythraea, and Mastogloia ovalis wer
e absent from 0.5 m while Nitzschia bilobata was present only in 1.0 m
. Mastogloia badjikiana, Mastogloia labuensis, Nitzschia lanceolata, a
nd Synedra laevigata were present during different stages of successio
n. The fact that differences in community structure do not persist at
later successional stages suggests that periphytic communities of the
upper euphotic zone possess adjustment mechanisms to the stress posed
by increased solar ultraviolet radiation.