Diversity and Ecological Associations of Myxomycetes, Algae, and Terrestrial Miro-Snails Associated with the Soils of Different Forest Types in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Rollins A. 2016. Diversity and Ecological Associations of Myxomycetes, Algae, and Terrestrial Miro-Snails Associated with the Soils of Different Forest Types in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. National Park Service
"This project examined the diversity and co-occurrence of myxomycetes (slimemolds), dictyostelids (celular slimemolds), algae (including cyanobacteria), chytrid fungi, and terrestrial micro-snails, associated with soils of different forest types in the park. The overall objective was to characterize the assemblages of these organisms across the major forest types in the park, sampling from 8 locations: red spruce, cove hardwoods, lowland pine, hemlock, beech gap, oak-dominated mixed hardwoods, early successional tulip poplar, and northern hardwoods. A secondary objective was to compare assemblages of these organisms between sites receiving relatively high inputs of pollutants versus similar sites receiving lower inputs, and to compare sites occupied by invasive earthworm species with those as yet without non-native worms. The project involved scientists from Lincoln Memorial University (TN), Ave Maria University (FL), and the University of Arkansas (AR) as well as at least one undergraduate from each institution. Myxomycetes were most common in lowland pine and least common in samples from northern hardwoods. Eleven species were isolated. No species were new to the park, but two taxa need additional study (Comatricha spA and Stemonitis spA). Most taxa had been rarely obtained from culture and are typically associated with wood. Cellular slimemolds were most common in oak forests and least common under spruce. Blue-green algae (cyanobacteria, esp. Leptolyngbya foveolarum) were by far the most dominant algae. There were also some green algae and diatoms (39 total algal species, all but 6 of which were new park records). Contrary to slime molds, diversity was highest at the northern hardwoods site, where as it was lowest in the oak dominated mixed hardwoods site."
- Type
- Generic Dataset
- Authors
- Rollins, Adam
- Date of Issue
- 2016-10-11
- Publisher
- National Park Service
- Units
- GRSM
- Keywords
- Algae, APHN, Appalachian Highlands Network, c, chytrid fungi, cyanobacteria, dictyostelids, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, GRSM, Myxomycetes, Origin:External, red spruce, SER, slimemolds, Southeast Region, StudyID:GRSM-01032, Terrestrial Miro-Snails
- Subjects
- Ecological Framework: Water | Water Quality | Aquatic Macroinvertebrates and Algae