Aulacoseira pseudomuzzanensis sp. nov. and other centric diatoms from post iron ore mining reservoirs in Poland

Post iron ore mining reservoirs in Łeczyca (Poland) can be considered extreme habitats because they are characterized by high pH, conductivity, and sulfate, sodium and potassium concentrations. We observed high abundances in these water bodies of several centric diatom species that are otherwise known from less extreme environments. These included Thalassiosira duostra, Cyclostephanos dubius, Stephanodiscus binatus, Stephanodiscus invisitatus, Stephanodiscus parvus, Stephanodiscus hantzschii, Lindavia aff. balatonis, Discostella woltereckii, Discostella pseudostelligera, and Cyclotella meneghiniana, revealing the eurytopic nature of these species. Morphological differences between populations from extreme habitats and their counterparts from less extreme environments may indicate phenotypic responses of eurytopic taxa to the differing environmental regimes, or the presence of distinct, more stenotopic taxa. In both cases, this could be relevant for biomonitoring. For this reason, we carefully observed the...