Qty Botanist Studying Antarctic Algae

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30216, 22 August 1963, Page 15

Qty Botanist Studying Antarctic Algae

Soils of the Ross Dependency have quite a wide range of species of algae—a far greater number, apparently, than any other plant group, according to Dr. Elizabeth Flint, of the Soil Bureau, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research Dr. Flint, who specialises in algae, has accommodation in the botany department of the University at Canterbury. The algae are a large and varied group, including the brown and red seaweeds, sealettuces, trailing plants in freshwater streams, the green powder on the leeward side of tree trunks, and the usually microscopic soil-plants which are Dr. Flint’s special interest. She works on material collected by various people from all over New Zealand and its Pacific neighbourhood from Western Samoa to Antarctica and from Macquarie Island to Che Cooks. A striking feature about the soil algae is their tolerance of very varied climate. One species from the Wright dry valley in Antarctica is common in Europe, for example (although not yet reported from New Zealand). Another has been found by Dr. Flint in soils from Antarctica, New Zealand, and the desert of northern Chile. A peculiarity of the Antarctic algae compared with alpine New Zealand species is the relatively large number of yellow-green algae found in Antarctica. Not one yellow-green species has been found in New Zealand alpine soil. Dr. Flint believes the difference results from the greater alkalinity of the Antarctic soils: New Zealand alpine soils are acid almost without exception. The algae are useful in soil formation in that they are usually the first organisms to colonise a bare area, and create an environment which under suitable climate, seeds of higher plants may take root. In Antarctica, where they have little competition, they often form a film over the surface. In an established soil, they provide a modest amount of green manure and some of the blue-green algae can fix atmospheric nitrogen—though more so in the tropics than in temperate or cold climates.

Dr. Flint grows her algae in a room kept day and night at 68 deg. The plants have a 16-hour "day” provided by fluorescent lamps. Samples of the soils in which algae are sought are sprinkled on a nutrient medium, and after any algae or algal spores have multiplied to the extent where they become visible under low magnification they

are transferred to another pot of nutrient, being transferred again when an apparently pure culture of one species can be distinguished. The growing period may take months. Eventually the plants are compared with published descriptions, ar type-cultures kept by Dr. Flint, or, in cases of special interest or difficulty, sent to overseas authorities for identification.