Morphology, valve ultrastructure and stratigraphical variability of Discostella taxa in a tropical crater lake, northern Tanzania

• Morphological and ultrastructural variability of Discostella Houk et Klee (Bacillariophyceae) valves from a small crater lake in northern Tanzania have been examined under scanning electron microscope (SEM) and light microscope (LM). Three types of Discostella are described; Discostella woltereckii, as well as a small variety of D. woltereckii denoted Discostella woltereckii var. minor Öberg, Risberg et Stabell and an unidentified species, Discostella sp. The diatom record during the last ~100 years is dominated by D. woltereckii and D. woltereckii var. minor. The lithology and diatom stratigraphy of a 36 cm sediment surface core show a period of low lake level with extensive aquatic vegetation from around AD 1600. Sometime around AD 1900 there is a substantial rise in the lake water level indicated by an increase in euplanktonic Aulacoseira ambigua and facultative planktonic Discostella spp.

Ämnesord

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Geovetenskap och miljövetenskap -- Naturgeografi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Earth and Related Environmental Sciences -- Physical Geography (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Discostella

Valve ultrastructure

Tanzania

Lake Duluti

paleolimnology

Plant Morphology

växtmorfologi

geografi med naturgeografisk inriktning

Physical Geography

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