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ECOLOGICAL, EVOLUTIONARY, AND SYSTEMATIC SIGNIFICANCE OF DIATOM LIFE HISTORIES 1
Author(s) -
Edlund Mark B.,
Stoermer Eugene F.
Publication year - 1997
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.0022-3646.1997.00897.x
Subject(s) - boulevard , reprint , citation , library science , archaeology , sociology , history , computer science , physics , astronomy
In spite of high species diversity and many years of study, most diatom life history strategies remain unknown. Floristics, taxonomy, and applied studies continue to dominate scientific efforts on diatoms; however, as Stebbins implied, it is difficult to pursue these ventures without an understanding of diatom reproductive biology. Recent research has added significantly to classic literature and has further expanded understanding of both the diversity of sexual behavior and the importance of life history strategies to ecology, evolution, taxonomy, and systematics of diatoms. Since the turn of the century, when reduction division was first convincingly demonstrated during gametogenesis in Rhopalodia (Klebahn 1896) and Surirella (Karsten 1912), it has been accepted that most diatoms have a diplontic life history (van den Hoek et al. 1995). Before and since that time, a great deal of work has been directed toward description and classification of diatom life histories (reviewed by Klebahn 1896, Geitler 1932, 1973, 1984, Fritsch 1935, Drebes 1977, Round et al. 1990, Hori 1993, Mann 1993, Roschin 1994), whereas far less effort has been directed at the ecologic and systematic implications of diatom life histories. The purpose of this review is not to reiterate or classify all the reported types of sexual reproduction in diatoms, but to provide current perspectives relating diatom life history strategies to systematic, ecologic, and evolutionary issues.