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PINSEEL, E. , VAN DE VIJVER, B., KAVAN, J., VERLEYEN, E. & KOPALOVÁ, K. (2017).  Diversity, ecology and community structure of the freshwater littoral diatom flora of Petuniabukta (Spitsbergen).   Polar Biology  Despite the frequent application of diatoms in palaeoecological research in the High Arctic, our knowledge concerning the diversity, ecology, community associations, community dynamics and survival strategies of High Arctic freshwater littoral diatom floras is still rather limited. In the present study, the diversity, ecological characteristics and community structures of the freshwater littoral diatom flora from ponds and lakes of Petuniabukta (Spitsbergen, Svalbard Archipelago) were studied. In total, 87 samples from the littoral zone of 53 freshwater ponds and lakes were examined using light and scanning electron microscopy. A highly diverse diatom flora dominated by Achnanthidium and Nitzschia was observed. In total,...

VINSOVÁ, P., PINSEEL, E. , KOHLER, T.J., VAN DE VIJVER, B., ZARSKY, J., KAVAN, J. & KOPALOVÁ, K. (2015).  Diatoms in cryoconite holes and adjacent proglacial freshwater sediments, Nordenski [old glacier] (Spitsbergen, High Arctic).  Czech Polar Reports Cryoconite holes are small, extreme habitats, widespread in the ablation zones of glaciers worldwide. They can provide a suitable environment for microorganisms including bacteria, cyanobacteria, algae, fungi, and invertebrates. Diatoms have been previously recovered from cryoconite holes of Greenland and of Svalbard, and recent findings from Antarctica suggest that cryoconite holes may harbor a unique diatom flora distinct from other aquatic habitats nearby. In the present study, we characterize the diatom communities of Nordenskiöld glacier cryoconite holes in Billefjorden (Svalbard, Spitsbergen), and multivariate approaches were used to compare them with three freshwater localities in the immedi...