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DESMID‐BACTERIAL ASSOCIATIONS IN SPHAGNUM ‐DOMINATED WISCONSIN PEATLANDS 1
Author(s) -
Fisher Madeline M.,
Wilcox Lee W.
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
journal of phycology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.85
H-Index - 127
eISSN - 1529-8817
pISSN - 0022-3646
DOI - 10.1111/j.0022-3646.1996.00543.x
Subject(s) - biology , bacteria , botany , segmented filamentous bacteria , sphagnum , population , peat , ecology , paleontology , sewage treatment , demography , activated sludge , engineering , waste management , sociology
In a survey employing epifluorescence microscopy with the DNA fluorochrome DAPI, associations between bacteria and filamentous desmids were found to be commonplace in acidic, Sphagnum ‐dominated Wisconsin peat‐lands. Bacteria were associated with all genera of filamentous desmids encountered including Desmidium, Hyalotheca, Onychonema, Spondylosium , and Teilingia. Although only associations involving filamentous desmids having mucilaginous sheaths are illustrated here, bacteria were also noted on taxa lacking sheaths as well as some unicellular forms. Bacteria on Desmidium majus Lagerheim, D. grevillii (Kütz.) De Bary, and Hyalotheca dissiliens (Smith) Bréb. ex Ralfs tended to be concentrated in small pockets in the sheath material located near the isthmus and in the region between adjacent cells in the filament, whereas those associated with Spondylosium pulchrum (Bail.) Archer were more evenly distributed throughout the sheath. Most bacteria were rodshaped. Those associated with S. pulchrum, D. grevillii , and D. majus ranged from 1.1 to 11.2 μm in length. Bacteria within the sheaths of H. dissiliens and D. grevillii were Gram‐negative. A second morphologically distinct population of bacteria was found at the sheath margin in D. majus and D. grevillii. Field collections containing filamentous desmids were examined with scanning electron microscopy and bacteria associated with Desmidium majus were investigated with transmission electron microscopy.