HR: 11:30h
AN: NB42B-05    [Abstracts]
TI: The Effects of Bryophyte Morphology on Epiphytic Diatom Distribution in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park
AU: * Knapp, J M
EM: jmknapp@bgnet.bgsu.edu
AF: Dept. of Biological Sciences, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH 43403
AU: Lowe, R L
EM: lowe@bgnet.bgsu.edu
AF: Dept. of Biological Sciences, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH 43403
AB: Diatoms and aquatic bryophytes have specific habitat requirements and are easily accessible in the field, making them ideal taxa for assessing water quality and environmental change. Although they both inhabit the same substrates within streams, there is a dearth of information regarding the relationship between these two indicator organisms. With this study, we examined the relationship between bryophytes and their epiphytic diatom communities from streams in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. We hypothesized that bryophyte morphologies with more crevices between leaves would provide algae with a more protected micro-environment, resulting in a higher density of diatoms on these taxa compared to bryophytes with greatly exposed leaves. In addition, we also expect that bryophytes rich in crevices will have a high relative abundance of non-rheophilic taxa. Diatom community structure on bryophytes was determined using light microscopy. Using scanning electron microscopy, bryophytes were examined to compare the distribution and density of diatoms on the abnate and adnate surfaces of leaves. Preliminary results indicate that diatom density is not correlated with bryophyte species.
DE: 1845 Limnology
DE: 1851 Plant ecology
SC: North American Benthological Society [NB]
MN: 2005 Joint Assembly