Abstract

MONTOYA, Haydee et al. Altitudinal distribution of subaerial species of Mesotaenium microalga (Zygnematophyceae, Streptophyta) from the Southern Tropical Andes of Peru. Arnaldoa [online]. 2022, vol.29, n.3, pp.461-484.  Epub Dec 30, 2022. ISSN 1815-8242.  http://dx.doi.org/10.22497/arnaldoa.293.29307.

The Tropical Peruvian Andes host a great ecosystem diversity such as the montane cloud forest at the southern east slopes. The subaerial moist habitats along the Alccamayo creek belong to Aguas Calientes, Cusco . They were evaluated in winter (august 2017) between 2184 and 3000 m of elevation with the mean temperature between 16 and 18°C. In the southern highland Andean, the cryosphere of the Allincapac glaciers, Carabaya Cordillera, Puno, was evaluated in summer season (february 2018) between 4500 and 4700 m elevation. The thermogradients were between 0 and 10°C and pH between 6.0 and 6.5. Collections of subaerophytic assemblages with litophilic, and chasmolithic microalgae and cyanobacterial were carried out by scraped the biofilms or crusts from the cliffs of calcareous rock surfaces or ice layers. Highland colonization (Allincapac glacier) by the cryophilic streptophyte Mesotaenium berggrenii morphospecies showed its adaptation to freeze and desiccation conditions as well as deglaciation and hydrated periods. At tropical lowland elevation gradient the Andean mesophilic species M. macrococcum, and M. chlamydosporum were recognized by its morphotypes (colonial, unicells) as well as survival strategies and propagation (complex extracellular polymers, chromatic adaptation). M. berggrenii, M. macrococcum, and M. chlamydosporum are new record species for the Peruvian microalgae flora.

Keywords : cryosphere; biofilms; morphotypes; lithophilic and subaerial.

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