Taxonomy, diversity and ecology of freshwater diatom communities (Bacillariophyta) from moss habitats of Gough Island (southern Atlantic Ocean)

• Název práce v češtině: Taxonomie, diversita a ekologie společenstev sladkovodních rozsivek (Bacillariophyta) mechových habitatů ostrova Gough (jižní Atlantický oceán)
• Název v anglickém jazyce: Taxonomy, diversity and ecology of freshwater diatom communities (Bacillariophyta) from moss habitats of Gough Island (southern Atlantic Ocean)
• Akademický rok vypsání: 2014/2015
• Typ práce: diplomová práce
• Jazyk práce: angličtina
• Ústav: Katedra ekologie (31-162)
• Vedoucí / školitel: Mgr. Kateřina Kopalová, Ph.D.
• Řešitel: skrytý - zadáno vedoucím/školitelem
• Datum přihlášení: 01.12.2014
• Datum zadání: 01.12.2014
• Datum odevzdání elektronické podoby: 13.08.2016
• Datum proběhlé obhajoby: 13.09.2016
• Oponenti: prof. Koen Sabbe
• Konzultanti: prof. Bart van de Vijver, Ph.D.

Předběžná náplň práce v anglickém jazyce

Diversity, Ecology and Biogeography of the non-marine diatom communities (Bacillariophyta) of Gough Island (southern Atlantic Ocean)
Supervisor: Mgr. Kateřina Kopalová, Ph.D. ([e-mail])
Co-supervisor: Prof. Bart Van de Vijver, Ph.D. ([e-mail])
Gough Island (40°21’ S, 9°53’ W) is a small, uninhabited volcanic island, situated in the cool-temperate zone of the southern Atlantic Ocean at about 3000km from the African and South American coast. Due to its isolated position, its volcanic origin and its oceanic character, it is home to a large number of endemic taxa such as the Island tree (Phylica arborea) and the small Gough Island moorhen (Gallinula comeri). In 1966, John R. Carter published the results of a first survey on the non-marine diatom flora of Gough Island and Tristan da Cunha, an island group at 350 km north of Gough. A very large number of typical, mostly endemic taxa were described, rendering the diatom flora of the island quite interesting from a biodiversity and a biogeographical point of view. So far, this is the only written record of diatoms on the island, mainly due to the logistic difficulties of fieldwork on the island.
Recently (1999–2006), several field campaigns were conducted on the island resulting in a collection of more than 500 samples from various terrestrial and semi-aquatic habitats from all over the island. A first analysis of several samples confirmed the presence of this highly specific flora. One species has been already described as new for science (Van de Vijver & Kopalová 2008), but all samples still need to be analysed as diatom taxonomy has changed a lot in last decade.
The work of this master thesis will encompass several aspects: The first part will be dedicated to the morphological and taxonomical analysis of the diatoms in a carefully selected number of samples from all over the island. It is likely that several new species will have to be described such has been the case with Orthoseira gremmenii sp. nov. Secondly, by determining the composition of the various diatom communities, together with an analysis of the ecological characteristics of the different samples, it will be possible to delimit and describe the typical diatom assemblages that occur on the island. Finally, by comparing the observed flora and communities with other islands in both, the southern Atlantic Ocean and southern Indian Ocean (such as Amsterdam Island and the Crozet Archipelago), I hope to unravel more the biogeographical relationships of Gough Island with other islands in the southern oceans.
References:
Carter, J. (1966) Some freshwater diatoms of Tristan da Cunha and Gough Island. Nova Hedwigia 9: 443-492.
Van de Vijver, B. & Kopalová, K. (2008) Orthoseira gremmenii sp. nov., a new aerophilic diatom species from Gough Island (southern Atlantic Ocean). Cryptogamie Algologie 29(2): 105–118.