Diatoms New to Ohio and the Laurentian Great Lakes

Epiphytic diatoms (Bacillariophyta) were collected from three marshes along the southern shoreline of Lake Erie during the summer and fall of 1977. Geographical distributions of 24 taxa new to the state of Ohio are described, and 149 and 34 taxa are reported as new for Lake Erie and the Laurentian Great Lakes, respectively. We attribute the large number of taxa new to the lake to a lack of previous littoral diatom studies, sampling technique, and habitat diversity within the littoral zone. OHIOJ, SCI. 81(5): 195, 1981 The western basin of Lake Erie has been the site of extensive phycological research since the turn of the century. Most studies, however, have dealt with the plankton community (Snow 1902, Tiffany 1934, Chandler 1940, 1942, 1944; Taft 1942, Chandler and Weeks 1945, Verduin 1954, Wujek 1967, Hohn 1969, Taft and Taft 1971, Munawar and Munawar 1976). In recent years, a few researchers have begun to concentrate upon the systematics and ecology of littoral algal communities (Bellis and McLarty 1967, Taft and Kishler 1968, Downing 1970, Kishler and Taft 1970, Fredrick 1975). All of these studies, however, have completely ignored the diatom component of the near shore flora. The paucity of literature concerning this component of the lake's littoral algae and the importance of attached algae within lentic systems (Allen 1971) warrant study in this area. This is the first of several planned papers concerning the systematics and ecology of the littoral diatom flora within the western basin. Diatom taxa presented here were identified from epiphytic collections from three marshes along the southern shoreline. Chemical and physical data were also collected. This information, along with inforManuscript received 16 April 1980 and in revised form 9 October 1980 (#80-18). Present address: Dept. of Botany, Iowa State University, Ames IA 50011. mation concerning seasonal periodicity, community structure, and epiphyte-host interaction is given in the original thesis (Millie 1979). A taxon is reported as new for Ohio, Lake Erie, or the Laurentian Great Lakes if no previous record of the taxon in published literature could be found. Photographs, where available, and geographical distributions are given for taxa newly reported for Ohio. The phylogenetic system presented follows that of Hustedt (1930) and Patrick and Reimer (1966, 1975). To retain standardization within Great Lakes literature, nomenclature of taxa follows that used by the Great Lakes Research Division, University of Michigan. MATERIALS AND METHODS Sampling locations were established within the Navarre Unit of the Ottawa Wildlife Refuge, Winous Point Shooting Club, and Moxley's Marsh (fig. 1). The Navarre Unit is composed of 585 acres under the auspices of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, in the Ottawa Wildlife refuge, which is located at the confluence of the Toussaint River and Lake Erie, Carroll Township, Ottawa County. Winous Point Shooting Club is located at the western end of Sandusky Bay near the mouths of the Sandusky River and Muddy Creek, Ottawa and Erie Counties. This marsh, composed of approximately 5000 acres, has undergone extensive damage due to recent climatic conditions and wave action coupled with high water levels. Moxley's March, composed of approximately 900 acres, is located directly east of Martin Point, Erie County. Typha angustifolial L. , Nymphaea tuberosa Paine, and Polygonum coccineum Muhl. were selected as sub-