Diatom quantification and their distribution with salinity brines in coastal sediments of Terra Nova Bay (Antarctica).

摘要: Benthic diatoms represent an important element of global nutritional productivity; to raise attention on their role, which is often neglected due analytical difficulties, surface (1 cm top layer) coastal sediments from Gerlache inlet Penguin Bay at Terra Nova were collected and stored at −20 °C. DNA amplification by real-time PCR, based diatom-specific oligonucleotide primers designed small-subunit rRNA (SSU rRNA), was performed in addition diatom conventional cell counting spectrophotometric determination photo-pigments. Moreover, cations anions determined with the aim identify factors involved control abundance. Diatom distribution found quite heterogeneous displaying significant differences site site. The salinity ranged 45.1 76.2 it correlated abundance, biodiversity, amount pigments amplified DNA. dominant species, Fragilariopsis curta, associated sediment brines.