SoilAlgaeCompositionWithinLentic,Lotic,andTerrestrialHabitats

Concepcion,G.A.,Syjueco,R.,Villafuerte,J.M.,&Yapyuco,A.

Introduction
Algae are a diverse group of organisms that are mostly photosynthetic and oxygenproducing like plants
but are nonvascular and without true organs such as stems and roots (Southand Whittick, 1987). Thediversityof
algal species is manifested in thevarietyof habitatsthattheyinhabit,whichcanbeterrestrial,aquatic,orsubaerial.
Variousalgalspeciesdominatethedifferenthabitats.
Algae are widely present in freshwater environments, such as lakes, rivers and ponds, where they are
typicallypresent as microorganisms (Bellinger, 2014). Within freshwater ecosystems, algae occur aseitherbenthic
or planktonic.Benthic algae are thosethatliveonorinassociationwithsubstrata(Stevensonet al.,1996).Theyare
either fixed in position (attached) or have limited movementin relationto their substrate (Bellinger, 2014).Most
benthic algae in freshwater habitats are bluegreen algae (Cyanophyta), green algae (Chlorophyta), diatoms
(Bacillariophyta), or red algae (Rhodophyta). However, other algal divisions, such as Chrysophyta, Xanthophyta,
Cryptophyta, and Pyrrophyta, mayalso occur in freshwater benthichabitats even thoughmanyoftheirspeciesare
known tobe planktonic (Stevensonet al.,1996). Planktonic algae are microscopic and freefreefloating. Theyare
suspended in the top few feet of water of a pond or lake where light is enough for them to produce food by
photosynthesis. The planktonic algae community in ponds is typically composed of green algae (Chlorophyta),
bluegreenalgae(Cyanophyta),diatoms(Bacillariophyta),andeuglenas(Euglenophyta)(Lynch,n.d.).
In terrestrial environments, all algae are considered benthicas they are alwaysboundorlieonasubstrate.
Benthic algae, in both aquatic andterrestrial environments,are further classified in termsof thesubstrateon which
the alga isfound.Someofthe typesofbenthicalgaeareepilithic(onrock),epiphytic(onplant),epipelic(onmudor
silt), epizooic (on animals), and episammic (on sand) (Danielson, 2006). Some phycologists, however, consider
benthic algae that live onany substrate above thegroundother thanthesoilasinhabitants ofthesubaerial oraerial
environment(Round,1981).
Terrestrial algal habitats differ from aquatic algal habitats mainly in the stability of physical propertiesof
the environmentsuch as temperature, light intensity, and moisture(Hoffman, 1989). In another study by Feher(as

cited in South and Whittick, 1987), soil type did not appear to be correlated withthe type of soil algae however,
cyanophyta were found to be more abundant in alkaline soil while chlorophyceae were common in acidic soils
(South and Whittick, 1987). In general, members of the Chlorophyceae, Cyanophyceae, Bacillarophyceae, and
Xanthophyceae constitutethe algal communityofterrestrial environments (Round,1981), includingthebluegreen
algaeorCyanobacteria(Hoffman,1989).
Analysisof limnological factors affecting the species diversityofalgaeinaquaticandterrestrial systemsis
essential in understanding the characteristics,and preferredhabitat of algae as well as their rolesintheecosystem.
The study aims to measure and comparethe limnological factors, such as pH, dissolved oxygen, and temperature,
affecting the substrate and correlate it with the variationin species diversity of epipsammicalgae in three habitat
typesnamelystream,pondandterrestrialsoilneartheInstituteofBiology,UniversityofthePhilippines,Diliman.

MaterialsandMethod
1.

Collectsoilsamplesfromthethreesites(Terrestrial,Pond,Stream)
Sampleswillbecollectedfromthesurfacelayer(02cm)ofthesoil.Tocollectsoilsamples,aclean
petridishwillbeinvertedintothesubstrateandpressedlightly.Anunslottedspatulawillbeslidunderthe
petridishinordertoremoveandturnoverthedish.Samplesperareawillbedoneintriplicate.

2.

Preparationofcoverslipswithspecimens
Coverslipswillbesterilizedwith95%ethanol.Thecoverslipswillthenbeplacedontopofthe
saturatedsoilsamples.Thealgaewillthenadheretothecoverslips.

3.

Identificationofalgae
Directmicroscopiccountingwillbeemployedforalgaeidentification.

4.

pHtestingofsoilandwater
SoilpHmeterwillbeprobeddirectlytothesoilinthethreesites.pHmeterwillalsobeusedto
measurethepHofthewater.AnalternativeforthemeasurementofthesoilpHisbyhomogenizingthesoil
samplewithdistilledwaterandwillbemeasuredusingthepHmeter.

5.

D.O.testingofwater

DissolvedoxygenwillbequantifiedviatheWinklermethod.A300mLstopperedbottlewillbe
usedtocontainsamplewater.Immediatelyafter,apipettewillbeusedtoadd2mLmanganesesulfateinto
thesample,justbelowthesurfaceofthewatersample.Thebottlewillbestoppered,thenmixedby
invertinguntilabrownprecipitatesettles.Afterwards,2mLconcentratedsulfuricacidwillbeintroduced,
butholdingthepipettejustabovethesamplesurface.Thesamplewillbestopperedandinverteduntil
brownprecipitatedissolves.Fromthesample,201mLwillbemeasuredoutintoaglassflask,thentitrated
withsodiumthiosulfateuntilpaleyellow.Additionof2mLstarchsolutionwillthenbedone,turningthe
sampleintoabluecolor.Titrationwillresumeuntilthesamplebecomesclear.Eachmilliliteroftitrantused
correspondsto1mg/Ldissolvedoxygen.
6.

Temperature
Temperatureofsurfacesoil(02cm)willbemeasuredusingaprobethermometer.

7.LightIntensity
Lightintensitywillbemeasuredusingthelightmeter.

References
Bellinger,E.(2015).
FreshwaterAlgae:Identification,EnumerationandUseasBioindicators.
WestSussex,UK:
JohnWiley&Sons,Ltd.
Danielson,T.(2006).
ProtocolsforSamplingAlgaeinWadeableRivers,Streams,andFreshwaterWetlands
.Maine:
MaineDepartmentofEnvironmentalProtection.
Hoffman,L.(1989).Algaeofterrestrialhabitats.
TheBotanicalReview,55
(2),77105.doi:10.1007/BF02858529
Lynch,W.(n.d.).
PlanktonicAlgaeinPonds.
Columbus,OH:OhioStateUniversityFactSheetExtension.
Round,F.(1981).
TheEcologyofAlgae
.PressSyndicateoftheUniversityofCambridge.
South,G.,&Whittick,A.(1987).
AnIntroductiontoPhycology
.BlackwellScience.
Stevenson,R.,Bothwell,M.,&Lowe,R.(1996).
AlgalEcology:FreshwaterBenthicEcosystems
.SanDiego,CA:
Elsevier.