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CHECKLIST OF DIATOMS FROM THE LAURENTIAN GREAT LAKES
Citation:
Kreis, R G., A. F. Stoermer, AND N. A. Andresen. CHECKLIST OF DIATOMS FROM THE LAURENTIAN GREAT LAKES. Presented at 16th North American Diatom Symposium, Ely, MN, September 19-23, 2001.
Description:
An updated diatom (Bacillariophyta) checklist for the Great Lakes has been completed (J. Great Lakes Res. 1999) and supplants the preliminary checklist (J. Great Lakes Res. 1978). The present list is effectively a 20-year update. The updated list is based upon: 1) the 1978 checklist, 2) evaluations of those previously reported taxa, 3) additions of newly reported taxa from the Great Lakes literature, and 4) systematic and nomenclatural changes which have occurred, primarily during the past decade. Results indicated that Great Lakes diatoms are a biodiverse component of the ecosystem, commensurate with the wide range of habitats found in the system. Approximately 1500 diatom species and subordinate taxa are considered to be correct reports from the great lakes, out of the 2188 entities reported. Over 100 genera are considered to be names in present use. Although over 200 additional species (16.5% increase) were noted in the updated list, the majority of these were due to nomenclatural changes. Most newly added taxa were primarily benthic or periphytic in nature and these represent species from largely understudies habitats. The results suggest that the present checklist may only represent approximately 70% of the extent diatom flora of the Great Lakes system.