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Epilithic and Cryptoendolithic Cyanobacteria of Clarens Sandstone Cliffs in the Golden Gate Highlands National Park, South Africa
Author(s) -
Wessels D. C. J.,
Büdel B.
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
botanica acta
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.871
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 1438-8677
pISSN - 0932-8629
DOI - 10.1111/j.1438-8677.1995.tb00853.x
Subject(s) - cave , national park , cyanobacteria , lichen , ecosystem , geography , geology , genus , ecology , archaeology , biology , paleontology , bacteria
A cryptoendolithic cyanobacterial community is described from Clarens sandstone in a montane ecosystem of the north‐eastern Orange Free State, South Africa. The community is dominated by a species of the unicellular cyanobacterial genus Chroococcidiopsis . Chlorophyll a content of the colonised sandstone ranged between 44.3 and 51.8mg m −2 . The establishment and species composition of an artificially created tintenstrich cyanobacterial community is documented. The possible contribution of cryptoendolithic cyanobacterial communities in the biological formation of hollows and caves in Clarens sandstone cliffs is discussed.