Results
The two expeditions to Loch Maree resulted in the collection of 62 samples which after cleaning were used to produce 126 mounted microscope slides. A detailed examination of the slides was carried out in an attempt to make a complete inventory of all the diatom species in the loch. Three hundred photographs were taken to aid identification and from these a figure of 151 species was established as a possible total. It would be foolish however to assume that all the possible taxa were found on the slides, since there was a limiting factor in the time available for search. It was also not possible to sample all habitats in the loch, such as sediment and rock specimens from deep water. A Tabellaria species which is possibly new was found while 51 new British records were identified. The total number of taxa found is listed alphabetically in appendix 1: it consists of 32 genera and 151 species (including morphotypes and varieties).
Appendix 2 contains an iconograph of these species. The photographs (x1500) have been scanned electronically for ease of labelling.
The biodiversity of the diatom flora of Loch Maree
ID1 Iconographia Diatomologica vol.1, ed. H. Lange-Bertalot, 1995.
ID2 Iconographia Diatomologica vol.2, ed. H. Lange-Bertalot, 1996.
ID3 Iconographia Diatomologica vol. 3, ed. H. Lange-Bertalot, 1996
BD18 Bibliotheca Diatomologica vol.18, Achnanthes, H. Lange-Bertalot & K.
Krammer, 1989
BD26 Bibliotheca Diatomologica vol. 26, Pinnularia, K. Krammer,1992.
BD29 Bibliotheca Diatomologica vol. 29, Brachysira, H. Lange-Bertalot &
G. Moser, 1994
BD36 Bibliotheca Diatomologica vol. 36, Die Cymbelloiden Diatomeen, K. .
Krammer, 1997.
M. Kirs The Taxonomy of the genus Brachysira (Bacillarophyta) in the British
Isles. M.Sc.Thesis, University of Edinburgh, 1995.
Diatoms The Diatoms, Biology and Morphology of the Genera, Round et al, 1990.
(no.) = Figures used.
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