Diversidad de microalgas y cianobacterias en muestras provenientes de diferentes provincias del Ecuador, destinadas a una colección de cultivos

We conducted a study on diversity, identification and isolation of microalgae and cyanobacteria from inland waters, springs, brackish water and slurries collected at 74 sites in five province: Carchi, Guayas, Imbabura, Pichincha and Santa Elena (Ecuador), between October 2011 and April 2012. The samples were characterized by initial diversity, succession of these microorganisms, and the stability of microalgae and cyanobacteria consortia during the sample selection and isolation process. These isolates were used for the establishment of a collection of in vitro cultures of photosynthetic microorganisms for the School of Bioanalysis of the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador. From the 194 samples tested, 43.81% of the isolates were single species of microalgae and cyanobacteria. The taxa more likely to be isolated were the genera, Chlorella, Scenedesmus and Leptolyngbya. In contrast, 56.19 % of the isolates remained as consortia or mixed cultures of microalgae and cyanobacteria. Of these, 14 cultures were only cyanobacteria, 40 were microalgae and 55 were mixed cultures (31 and 18 taxa of microalgae and cyanobacteria, respectively). The most common genera of microalgae in the microalgae consortia were, Chlorella sp. > Scenedesmus sp. > Navicula sp. The most common genera in the cyanobacteria consortia were Leptolyngbya sp. > Calothrix sp. > Nostoc sp. The most common genera in the microalgaecyanobacteria consortia were Leptolyngbya sp. > Navicula sp. > Chlorella sp. > Scenedesmus sp. > Calothrix sp. The samples from Laguna “El Salado”, San Gabriel, Carchi had the highest diversity. While, those collected in Aguas Hediondas Tufiño, Carchi contained only Dictyosphaerium sp., Microspora sp. and Mougeotia sp. The cyanobacterium Leptolyngbya sp. was highly competitive and characterized aged cultures and nutrient deficiencies. It is recommended that all consortia be entered into culture collections because of their importance as sources of biodiversity. These consortia can also be important in physiological, ecology and environmental studies and development of techniques for agricultural biotechnology. El presente trabajo conforma un estudio sobre diversidad, identificación y aislamiento de microalgas y cianobacterias a partir de muestras de aguas continentales, termales, salobres y lodos; colectadas en 74 sitios de 25 sectores de las provincias del Carchi, Guayas, Imbabura, Pichincha y Santa Elena (Ecuador), entre octubre 2011 y abril 2012, con la finali