The composition of diatom-associated bacterial communities was studied with 14 different unialgal xenic diatom cultures isolated from freshwater epilithic biofilms of Lake Constance, Germany. A clear dominance of Alphaproteobacteria was observed, followed by Betaproteobacteria, Gammaproteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Verrucomicrobia. Pure cultures of the diatom Cymbella microcephala, which was ...

Stone monuments (statues, fountains, tombs, memorials, buildings, etc.) are apparently indestructible artefacts that were built to last. Depending on the chemical composition and structure, stones may be friendly or hostile to colonization by eukaryotic and/or prokaryotic communities. Among various lithotypes, porous rocks (limestone, sandstone) have highest bioreceptivity. Abiotic factors have...

The relationship between pH and the abundance and activity of bacteria in streams was examined as part of a study of the effect of acidification on stream communities. Of the bacterial communities examined, the epilithic community appeared to be the most significantly affected by acidification. Microbial biomass, as quantified by measuring the ATP level, on rock surfaces was significantly corre...

Abstract Aegagropila linnaei is a unique freshwater green alga that develops into spherical aggregations known as “lake balls”, “Cladophora balls” or “Marimo”. Loss of this species progressing globally, and there concern over threats its conservation. As part the study which aims to conserve endangered species, zoosporogenesis A. in Lake Akan, designated Special Natural Monument Japan, was inve...

Biofilms are a ubiquitous formation of microbial communities found on surfaces in aqueous environments. These structures have been investigated as biomonitoring indicators for stream heath, and here were used for the potential use in forensic sciences. Biofilm successional development has been proposed as a method to determine the postmortem submersion interval (PMSI) of remains because there a...

Light, nutrient availability, and flow are strong factors controlling the elemental composition and biomass of epilithon in temperate stream ecosystems. However, comparatively little is known about these relationships in tropical streams. We investigated how gradients of light and nutrient availability, seasonality, and habitat influenced epilithon biomass, chlorophyll a, and nutrient ratios in...