The diversity, distribution and ecology of diatoms from Antarctic inland waters

Abundant and diverse communities of diatoms in the Antarctic freshwaters show higher diversity in the north. While they are well represented in and important to the benthic algal communities of streams and lakes, they are not as well represented in the phytoplankton. Diatoms serve an important role as indicator species of current ecological conditions, and their preservation in sediment provides an historical record of past diversity. Areas requiring further research include greater taxonomic precision and consistency, as well as improved sampling from some regions.