Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

STUDIES ON SOME ANTARCTIC TESTACEANS (PROTOZOA : RHIZOPODA): A COMMUNITY ANALYSIS

P. Chatterjee. J. Sinha, A.K. Das and B. ivlitra

Abstract

The dominance and diversity of 5 testacean species (Protozoa:Rhizopoda) viz., Arcella arenaria Greeff, Arcello sp., Assulina muscorum Greeff, Assulina sp., and Corythion dubium Taranek from 8 lakes in Schirmacher Oasis, East Antarctica were analysed by three community parameters during the Fifteenth Indian Expedition in Antarctica in austral summer of 1995-1996. Two physical variables such as pH and temperature of both water and soil were measured and were correlated with dominance and diversity of testancean species through Bivariate Distribution analysis. The Multivariate Distribution analysis indicated that assemblages of testaceans were dependent upon more than a single abiotic parameter, with pH of water being the most important influencing the community parameter of the testaceans.