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Algae in Colorado Soils Author(s): L. W. Durrell Source: American Midland Naturalist, Vol. 61, No. 2 (Apr., 1959), pp. 322-328 Published by: The University of Notre Dame Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/2422504 . Accessed: 02/03/2011 23:37
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Algae in ColoradoSoils
L. W. DURRELL
Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado

The algae are important constituents the living, of changing complex that we call the soil. Soil contains not only minutemineral fragments also water,gases, dead plant materials, but insectlarvae,
nematodes, protozoa, bacteria, fungi and algae. This is an intricate association and the algae have a part in it. They add organilcmatter to the soil, influence chemical changes therein,are known to fix nitrogen and are a food source for small animal life in the soil. Several workersthroughoutthe world have listed the various algaetheyhave found in the soil (Bristol-Roach, 1927; Fritsch,1922; Fritsch and Salisbury, 1915; Russell, 1923) and a few have studied the activitiesof these micro-organisms (Bristol, 1920; Petersen, 1935; Skinner, 1932). Most of these studies were made in Europe. In this country as early as 1912, W. W. Robbins examined 22 soils and found 12 species of algae living in them. Later, G. T. Moore and associates (1919; 1926) listed 31 species of algae found existing in soils at the Missouri Botanical Gardens, some of them rather deep below the surface. In 1925, Bonar and Goldsmith made a study of desert soils in the Southwest and found that such soils contained a total of 14 genera of algae; no specific list was published. Lowe and Moyse (1934) listed 27 species of algae from soils of Manitoba, Canada. The limited information on soil algae in this country suggests a need for furtherinventory,especially in the intermountain West. It is the purpose of the following paper to list such algae as have been found in Colorado soils, with brief mention of the conditions of their habitat.
METHODS

Soil samples were collected with a sterilized trowel and placed in sterile soil cans. All samples were taken from the top four inches of soil except for a few that were taken from cut banks at some depth below the surface. Before digging, the top half inch or so of soil was scraped away. In the case of lateral sampling in cut banks, the surface was removed to a depth of several inches to a foot, before the actual sample was taken. In the laboratory the soil in most cases was tested for acidity with the aid of a Beckman pH meter. Approximately two grams of soil from each sample can were then put into a sterile 125 cc. Erlenmeyer flask. The bottom of the flask was covered with clean quartz sand. The cotton-plugged flasks, containing the sand and a nutrient solution (modified Bristol-Roach), had been autoclaved prior to inoculation with the soil samples. The mouths of the flasks were covered 322

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with sheet paraffinover the cotton plugs and placed in racks facing a north window. The flaskswere tipped at an angle so that the upper side of the quartz substrate was more or less drained. After 60 days, growth usually had occurred, and the cultures were examined and their components identified. Most of the cultures were re-examined after six months or more, since species frequently developed which were not found in the firstexamination. Judging from the way algae develop in these cultures, it appears that a two gram sample of soil may have only one to a few algal cells in its mass. Many flasks contained monoalgal cultures after standing several months.
RESULTS

Two hundred and twenty-three soils were sampled from various localities throughout the state, representingirrigated farm land, dry farm land, grassland, mountain and forestsoil. From samples of these soils, 85 species of algae were identified,representing40 genera. Of these, 21 genera were of green algae and 17 were blue-green forms. The followingis a list of the species found:
PHYLUM CLASS CHLOROPHYTA CHLOROPHYCEAE

Chlamydomonas angulosa Dill Haematococcus lacustris (Girod.) Rostaf. Pamella mucosa Kuetzing Sphaerocystis Schroeteri Chodat Gloeocystis ampla (Kuetz.) Lagerheim Gloeocystisgigas (Kuetz.) Lagerheim Gloeocystis planctonica (West & West) Lemmermann Gloeocystis major Gerneck Gloeocystis vesiculosa Naegeli Palmogloea protuberans (Sm. & Sow.) Kuetzing Dispora crucigenioidesPrintz Stichococcus subtilis (Kuetz.) Klercker Stichococcus bacillaris Naegeli Stichococcus scopulinus Hazen Protococcus viridis C. A. Agardh Chlorococcum humicola (Naeg.) Rabenhorst Characium PringsheimiiA. Braun Pediastrum Boryanum (Turp.) Meneghini Chlorella ellipsoidea Gerneck

Chlorella vulgaris Beyerinck Trochiscia obtusa (Reinsch) Hansgirg Trochiscia granulata (Reinsch) Hansgirg Planktosphaeria gelatinosa G. M. Smith Ankistrodesmusfalcatus (Corda) Ralfs Ankistrodesmusconvolutus Corda Kirchneriella obesa (W. West) Schmidle Kirchneriella lunaris (Kirch.) Moebius Quadrigula Chodatii (Tan.-Ful.) G. M. Smith Scenedesmus bijuga (Turp.) Lagerheim Scenedesmus dimorphus (Turp.) Kuetzing Mesotaenium Greyii Turner Mesotaenium Endlicherianum Naegeli Mesotaenium macrococcum (Kuetz.) Roy & Bliss Cosmarium angulare Johnson

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EUGLENOPHYTA EUGLENOPHYCEAE

Euglena sp.

PHYLUM CLASS

CHRYSOPHYTA XANTHOPHYCEAE

Bumilleria exilis Klebs

Bumilleria sicula Borzi

PHYLUM CLASS

CYANOPHYTA MYXOPHYCEAE

Coccochloris aeruginosa Drouet & Daily Coccochloris stagnina Sprengel Anacystis montana f. montana Drouet & Daily Anacystis montana f. gelatinosa Drouet & Daily Anacystis dimidiata Drouet & Daily A nacystis thermalis f. major (Lager.) Drouet & Daily Spirulina major Kuetzing Oscillatoria formosa Bory Oscillatoria Haemelii Fremy Oscillatoria curviceps C. A. Agardh Oscillatoria limnetica Lemmermann Oscillatoria Agardhii Gomont Oscillatoria limosa (Roth) C. A. Agardh Oscillatoria tenuis C. A. Agardh Oscillatoria terebriformis C. A. Agardh Phormidium tenue (Menegh.) Gomont Phormidium ambiguum Gomont Phormidium inundatum Kuetzing Phormidium Retzii (C. A. Ag.) Gomont Phormidium favosum (Bory) Gomont Lyngbya major Meneghini Lyngbya versicolor (Wartmann) Gomont Lyngbya limnetica Lemmermann Lyngbya aestuarii (Mert.) Liebmann

Lyngbya Martensiana Meneghini Microcoleus lacustris (Rab.) Farlow Microcoleus paludosus (Kuetz.) Gomont Schizothrix Friesii Gomont Schizothrix fasciculata (Naeg.) Gomont Anabaena torulosa ('Carm.) Lagerheim Anabaena aequalis Borge Anabaena oscillarioides Bory Aulosira implexa Bornet & Flahault Nostoc paludosum Kuetzing Nostoc pruniformeC. A. Agardh Nostoc caeruleum Lyngbye Nostoc muscorum C. A. Agardh punctatum Cylindrospermum Woronichin majus Kuetzing Cylindrospermum Cylindrospermumlicheniforme (Bory) Kuetzing Cylindrospermummuscicola Kuetzing Nodularia Harveyana (Thw.) Thuret Nodularia spumigena Mertens Scytonema Archangelii Bornet & Flahault Scytonema tolypothricoides Kuetzing Fremyella Goeppertiana Kirchner Stigonema turfaceum (Berkeley) Cooke Calothrix fusca (Duetz.) Bornet & Flahault

Certainspeciesoccurred commonly:120 samplescontainedChlorococcumhumicola;89 contained speciesof Phormidium; contained 56 speciesof Chlorella;50 samplesboreProtococcus viridis;42 had species of Oscillatoria; 38, speciesof Stichococcus; 34, speciesof Nostoc; and 24 bore speciesof Gloeocystis. The otherspecieslistedwere con-

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tained in one to a few samplesof soil. Seven samplesdevelopedno common,some even occurring were fairly algae. Moss protonemata in the dryprairiesoils. of to It is of interest note the presence the variousspeciesof algae fromwhich the soils were taken. Most of the in the environments someof the mounsoilssampledin thisregionwerealkaline,although algae were the speaking, blue-green tain soils were acidic. Generally with the statein most prevalent alkaline soils; this is in agreement mentsof Lund (1946, 1947, and 1948) and others. In one lot of werepresent: forms pH from 8.6 to 10, the following ranging samples, Ostenue,P. Retzii,Nostoc paludosum,N. muscorum, Phormidium N. Nodulariaspumigena, Harveyana,threespecies Agardhii, cillatoria Scytonema Microcoleuslacustris, fasciculata, Schizothrix of Lyngbya, Goeppertiana. and Fremyella Archangelii In these same alkaline soils, several green algae occurredquite regularly: Chlorococcumhumicola,Protococcusviridis,Gloeocystis humicola and speciesof Trochiscia. In fact,Chlorococcum vesiculosa is able to grow and surviveat conditionsfrom pH 4.2 to 10. Soil humicolaand whitealkali spotscontainedChlorococcum samplesfrom and Lyngbyamajor octenue. FremyellaGoeppertiana Phormidium curredin soils havinga pH of 9.3. pH 9.5 and contained Certain forestsoils under duffregistered subtilisand Stichococcus humicola,Chlorellavulgaris, Chlorococcum MesotaeniumEndlicherianum. San Luis Valley witha pH of 9.5 to 10 Soils undersalt grassfrom contained Chlorococcumhumicola, Chlorella vulgaris,Protococcus Nostoc paludosum,Nodularia Harveyana,Lyngbyaversicolor, viridis, pasturein northtenue. A sample fromsalt grass-marsh Phormidum ern Colorado contained only Protococcusviridisand Phormidium tenue. flatswitha pH of 9.5 containedPhormidiSoils fromgreasewood and Stigonerra N. um tenue,P. Retzii,Nostocpaludosum, muscorum aceum. turf Samples fromblow soil containedPhormidiumtenue,Anacystis and also mossprotonemata. formosa montanaf. montana,Oscillatoria Retzii, Under sage brush(soil of pH 6.5) werefoundPhormidium Chlorococcumhumicola, Chlorella vulgaris,Nostoc muscorumand subtilis. Stichococcus soil samplesfromthe easternpart of Colorado, 20 In 31 dryland
contained Chlorococcum; 17, Phormidium sp.; 16, Protococcus; 11, Stichococcus; 7, Chlorella; 7, Nostoc; 4, Sphaerocystis; 3, Anacystis thermalis f. major; 3, Gloeocystis; and one each contained Cosmarium, Mesotaenium, Trochiscia, Dispora and Bumilleria.

Under buffalo grass sod occurred species of Nostoc, Schizothrix, Phormidium, Chlorococcum, Protococcus, and Stichococcus. Haema-

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and Cosmariumangulare,which probablyblew in tococcuslacustris also occurred. and lay dormant, fromelsewhere werefound: speciesof the following grainfields, Fromunirrigated ProtococChlorococcum, Oscillatoria, Phormidium, Cylindrospermum, cus and Bumilleria. in Alpine soilsvarygreatly pH, froma low of 3.5 to a highof 9.5 at of to 10. A variety algae occurred highaltitudes.Fromwet tundra 0. at 12,000feetaltitudewereisolated: Oscillatorialimnetica, tenuis, humicola,Mesotaenium ampla, G. major, Chlorococcum Gloeocystis Endlicherianumn, Quadrigula Chodatii; from nearby dry tundra: Chlorococcumhumicola, Chlorella vulgaris, Oscillatoria limnetica, subtilisand Coccochloris Stichococcus MesotaeniumEndlicherianum, containedno aeruginosa. A few alpine soils of low pH apparently algae. Numeroussampleswere takenfromlake and streambankswhere and a fewsampleswere also takenfrom the soil was wet or saturated, old, dried lake bottoms. These samples contained Chlamydomonas ampla and Oscillatoria Gloeocystis Schroeteri, angulosa,Sphaerocystis Haemelii. viridis, LyngProtococcus Mud from drainedlake bed contained a bya major,FremyellaGoeppertiana. PhorNostocmuscorum, bed yielded an Soil from old, driedstream midium tenue, P. Retzii, Spirulina'major, Coccochlorisaeruginosa, Protococcusviridis,Chlorococcumhumicola and Lyngbyaaestuarii. tenue,P. Retzii, Mud near edge of pools developedPhormidium Chlorococcum humicola, Oscillatoria formosa, 0. limnetica, 0. C. falcatus,Chlorella vulgaris, ellipsoidea, Agardhii,Ankistrodesmus montana lunaris, Anacystis thermalis major,Kirchneriella f. Anacystis Coccochlorisaerugif. montana,Euglena sp., Stigonematurfaceum, ampla, G. major and Mesonosa, Nodularia Harveyana,Gloeocystis No Endlicherianum. doubtsomeof thesespecieswerewashed taenium or splashedthere. Several soil sampleswere taken fromdeep cut banks,care being Chlotakento dig back a footor so to avoid surfacecontamination. was foundthreefeetfromthe surfacein one instance; rella vulgaris Stichococcus subtilis and Chlorococcumn in another, Chlorellavulgaris, were humicolawere foundat a depth of one foot. Some samplings made fromthe surfaceto as deep as 15 feet. All of the deeper samples were freeof algae. Hardpan occurredat about one foot from the surfaceand no doubt acted as a barrier. were taken fromten marked seasonal samplings Three successive acrossa cultivated stations grassarea. Little can be diiawnfromthe tenue resultsexcept that Chlorococcumhumicola and Phormidium while a few otherspeciesoccurredat random. were alwayspresent One set of samples fromdry iron red soils, derivedby disintecontainedveryfew to no algae. rockdeposits, grationof neighboring

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of A collection 35 soilsfromthe dryplains,storeddryin bags for two years,yieldedseveralalgae:

21 of these samples developed 17 " 9 ' " Chlorococcum humicola Phormidium species Protococcus viridis Oscillatoria species Stichococcus bacillaris Chlorella vulgaris Gloeocystis species Trochiscia species Sphaerocystis Schroeteri Nostoc paludosum

8 " 10 "

7 " 4 1 " 5 " 1 "

" "

"
"

"

"

Two yearsis a shortstorageperiod; judging fromother studies would be expected. B. MurielBriswithstoredsoils,the above results Phormidium soil tol (1919) obtainedover30 speciesin stored samples. Chlorococcum in tenuesurvived thesesamplesafter51 yearsstorage,
humicola after 59, and Nodularia Harveyana after 71 years.
SUMMARY

The above study consists chieflyof an inventory of algae found soil localities in Colorado. Comparing the Colorado list in different with those of other observersin other countries,there is a great similarity of species found in soil. Certain species seem universal, others rare, or occurringby chance. From our knowledge of the size of these organisms, their tenacious hold on life, and the many ways they can be distributed,it is not surprisingto find comparable lists of species over widely separated areas.
REFERENCES

1925-Distribution and behavior of soil LEE AND G. W. GOLDSMITH algae. Carnegie Inst. Year Book 24:324. B. M. 1919-On the retention of vitality by algae from old stored BRISTOL, soils. New Phytol. 1,8:92-107. 1920-On the algal flora of some desiccated English soils. Ann. Bot. 34:35-81. B. M. 1927-On the algae of some normal English soils. Jour. BRISTOL-ROACH, of Agric. Sci. 17:563-588. algae. Jour. Ecology 10:220. F. E. 1922-The terrestrial FRITSCH, 1915-Further observationson the heath associaAND E. J. SALISBURY tions on Hindhe-ad Common. New Phytol. 14:116-138. 1934-An investigation of some Manitoba LOWE, C. W., AND A. V. MOYSE soils for presence of algae. Trans. Roy. Soc. Canada 28:119-152. LUND, J. W. G. 1946-Observations on soil algae. 1. New Phytol. 45:56-110. 1947-Observations on soil algae. 2. New Phytol. 46:35-60. 1948-Observations on soil algae. 3. New Phytol. 46:185-194.
BONAR,

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G. T., AND JOAN L. KARRER 1919--A subterranean algal flora. Ann. Miss. Bot. Gard. 6:281-307. AND NELLIE CARTER 1926-Further studies on the subterranean algal flora of Missouri Botanical Garden. Ann. Miss. Bot. Gard. 13:101-140. PETERSEN, JOHs. BOYE 1935-Studies on the biology and taxonomy of soil algae. C. H. Reitzels Forlag, Kobenhavn. 183 pp. ROBBINS. W. W. 1912-Algae in some Colorado soils. Colo. Agr. Exp. Stat. Bul. 184:24-36. of RUSSELL, J. 1923-The microorganisms the soil. Longmans, Green and Co., London. pp. 99-114. SKINNER, C. E. 1932-Soil as a habitat for growth of green algae. Soil Sci. 34: 25-28.