Taxonomic and ecological survey of the terrestrial algae in the Ross Sea Region (McMurdo Dry Valleys, Marble Point, Cape Bird, Mt Erebus)

A taxonomic and ecological survey of the terrestrial algae was conducted in the vicinity of Lake Fryxell, Taylor Valley and Cape Bird and supplemented with samples from Marble Point, the lakes and ponds in the Victoria, Taylor and Wright Valleys (e.g. Lake Vanda and Don Juan Pond) and Mt Erebus summit. >160 wide ranging samples were examined microscopically. All algal taxa observed were drawn and photographs were taken of particularly interesting specimens.

Observations of field appearance of algae and their general distribution patterns were recorded. Samples were removed and continued work on air dried samples was conducting in the laboratory including culturing techniques, making isolates into unialgal culture, examining the morphological plasticity in response to the environment = ecophene formation and culturing studies on chlorophycean and xanthophycean algae to describe the full range of organisms.