Wh. Thomas et Pa. Broady, DISTRIBUTION OF COLORED SNOW AND ASSOCIATED ALGAL GENERA IN NEW-ZEALAND, New Zealand Journal of Botany, 35(1), 1997, pp. 113-117
Mainly during the period 1991 to 1995, the distribution of coloured sn
ow throughout New Zealand was determined from questionnaires returned
by mountain travellers. Forty-five positive sightings were obtained, f
our from Tongariro National Park in the North Island and the remainder
from the Southern Alps. Snow was commonly pink to red but sometimes o
range or yellow. During the late spring and summer months, but never i
n winter, colour occurred mostly as patches in old, waterlogged snow b
ut occasionally was continuously distributed throughout a snowfield. T
he colour was generally on the snow surface but could extend to 15 cm
depth. Fifteen samples of coloured snow meltwater were examined micros
copically. All algae were members of the Chlorophyta, the most frequen
tly observed being Chlamydomonas. In some samples, sparse numbers of C
ryocystis, Scotiella, Troschiscia, Koliella, and Raphidonema were obse
rved. The algal assemblages are similar to those found outside New Zea
land. This survey will serve as a basis for further investigations of
these interesting algae in New Zealand.