Benthic moss pillars in Antarctic lakes

Unique pillar-like colonies of aquatic mosses, rising from cyanobacterial a nd algal mats, have been discovered in some freshwater lakes in the vicinit y of Syowa Station (69 degrees 00'S, 39 degrees 35'E), continental Antarcti ca. These moss pillars are about 40 cm in diameter and up to 60 cm high and occur at the lake bottoms mainly between 3 and 5 m depth. The primary comp onent is a species of Leptobryum, a genus unknown in the continental Antarc tic terrestrial bryoflora and as an aquatic genus elsewhere in the world. B ryum pseudotriquetrum is often an associated species. In longitudinal secti on the pillars reveal several whitish layers formed by mineral sediment and dead cyanobacteria. It is speculated that the biomass of aquatic mosses at the bottom of many Antarctic lakes is considerably greater than that previ ously estimated.