The Ecology of Mallomonas

Abstract

The primary goal of this chapter is to describe the ecological tolerances of all common species and sub-specific taxa of Mallomonas. Emphasis has been placed on the distributions of each taxon along pH, specific conductance, temperature, trophic and seasonal gradients. To accomplish this goal three sets of data totalling results from over seven hundred collections were used. Four hundred of the collections were taken from localities in southern New England from the State of Connecticut. Another one hundred of the collections were from waterbodies in the Adirondack Mountain region of New York State. The remainder of the collections were taken from the literature and represent waterbodies from different parts of the world (see Siver, 1989a). For the purposes of discussion the three data sets will each be considered as separate floras and referred to as the Connecticut, the Adirondack and the literature floras.