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Sergi Pla:

Chrysophycean cysts from the Pyrenees

2001. 179 pages, 8 figures, 4 tables, 71 plates, 22x14cm, 480 g
Language: English

(Bibliotheca Phycologica, Band 109)

ISBN 978-3-443-60036-5, paperback, price: 97.00 €

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Rev.: Algological Studies 105, June 2002, p. 189-190
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The stomatosysts are usually zygospores of chrysophytes and synurophyte species. The silicified cell wall of the cysts remams almost intact in lake sediments for many thousands of years. This is a good reason for the use of the cyst in paleolimnological research in a similar manner as are the diatom frustules and pollen grains.

The first important contribution was the Atlas of chrysophycean cysts (DUFF et al. 1995) based mainly on investigation of the North American and Canadian lake sediments. This monograph offers the cysts terminology, and autecological approach, which is used m the present publication. The reviewed book by SERGIO PLA contains the results of long term investigation of the bottom sediments of 105 lakes from mountain area of Pyrennees The altitide ofthe lakes varies from 1615 m a.s.l. to 2954 m a.s.l. The majority ofthe lakes are oligotrophic with low phytoplankton productivity and without influence of industrial pollution. The stomatocysts are not very abundant, but the investigation documented great taxonomic diversity. Under light microscope and scanning electron microscope the author observed 210 morphotypes, of which 86 were found for the first time. The majority of stomatocysts are listed under the numerical code. This knowledge is not easy to obtain, and for this reason it is given only for few species. The biological affinity means the botanical name of the stomatocyst producing species. The description of each cyst contains the light microscope photography and the scanning electron microscope image. All decriptions contain the autecological data. In the concluding chapter PLA discusses the stratigraphy. The samples taken from the bottom sediments allowed the counting of the cyst abundance starting from the period of 14 000 years ago to the present time. The oldest sediment layer corresponds with the age of the lakes. S. PLA also discusses the question of the biogeographical diversity of the cysts. He expressed the idea about the geographical diversity of the cysts distribution and suggested the endemic properties of the cyst community found in the Pyrenees.

The reviewed book of PLA represents an important contribution to the mountain lakes both past and present ecology. His book contains valuable information for paleolimnologists and hydrobiologists finding the cysts in their own samples. The autecology given for each stomatocyst improves the value of the stomatocysts as indicator of the environmental conditions.

T. Kalina

Algological Studies 105, June 2002, p. 189-190

Contents
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Acknowledgements 7

Summary 8

Introduction 9

Study sites 11

Methods 13

Chemical characteristics of Pyrenean lakes 24

Terminology 25

Cyst Descriptions 29

Group A: Spherical stomatocysts lacking collar and ornamentation 32

Group B: Oval stomatocysts lacking a collar and ornamentation 39

Group C: Oval stomatocysts with a small conical or cylindrical collar
but without ornamentation 40

Group D: Spherical stomatocysts with a small conical or cylindrical
collar but without ornamentation 46

Group E: Spherical to oval stomatocysts with a true or false complex
collar but without ornamentation 51

Group F: Spherical stomatocysts with a large conical or cylindrical
collar but without ornamentation 57

Group G: Spherical stomatocysts with a large conical or cylindrical
collar and ornamentation 62

Coup H: Oval stomatocysts with an obconical collar 66

Group I: Spherical stomatocysts with obconical collar and ornamented
with scabrae 69

Group J: Oval stomatocysts with collar and ornamentation 72

Group K: Small stomatocysts (< 6.0) with ridges 77

Group L: Small stomatocysts (< 6.0) with ridges and indentations 85

Group M: Small stomatocysts (< 6.0) with spines and indentations 89

Group N: Small stomatocysts (< 6.0) with spines, and without
indentations 92

Group O: Spherical stomatocysts ornamented with only verrucae 96

Group P: Spherical stomatocysts ornamented with conula or spines but
withoutlarge collar 100

Group Q: Large stomatocysts (> 6.0) ornamented with spines roughly
equidistant and covering the entire cyst surface 103

Group R: Spherical stomatocysts ornamented with reticulum and spines 110

Group S: Spherical to oval stomatocysts ornamented with reticulum 117

Group T: Spherical stomatocysts ornamented with spines and circular

indentations 126

Group V: Spherical stomatocysts ornamented with ridges 128

Group W: Spherical stomatocysts ornamented with one or more circuli 135

Group X: Spherical stomatocysts ornamented with long spines 143

Group Y: Small stomatocysts (< 6.0) with indentations 149

Stomatocyst for which not enough SEM specimens and LM observations are
available 151

Stomatocyst which have only been observed under LM 156

Concluding remarks on the distribution of chrysophycean cysts 159

References 169

Stomatocysts Index 178