Cyanobacteria of Ukraine: Actual Diversity, Trends of Taxonomic Changes, Features of Zonal and Ectopic Distribution

Abstract

Presenting the results of a critical taxonomic revision of the list of cyanobacteria of Ukraine and the analysis of their zonal, ecological and typological distribution. The list includes 766 species from 150 genera. They belong to the class <i>Cyanophyceae</i> Schaftner, four subclasses, 7 orders and 46 families. The subclass <i>Oscillatoriophycideae</i> (4 orders, 21 families, 65 genera, 333 species) is characterized by the greatest species and taxonomic diversity. The leading orders are <i>Synechococcales</i> (34.1&#37;), <i>Nostocales</i> (26.8&#37;) and <i>Oscillatoriales</i> (25.5&#37;). Genera <i>Phormidium</i> K&#252;tz. ex Gomont (7.3&#37; of species), <i>Leptolyngbya</i> Anagn. et Kom&#225;rek (5.4&#37;), <i>Calothrix</i> C. Agardh ex Bornet et Flahault (3.8&#37;) and <i>Oscillatoria</i> Vaucher ex Gomont (3.7&#37;) lead in species richness. The obtained results are significantly different from the generalized data on the species and taxonomic diversity of cyanobacteria of Ukraine as of 2005. The growth of generic and species diversity is partly related to nomenclature and taxonomic changes; 7 genera and 50 species are new floristic records, revealed using molecular methods. The distribution of cyanobacteria on the territory of Ukraine has specific features. The highest diversity and uniqueness of species composition is characteristic of the Steppe zone of Ukraine: 539 species from 124 genera of <i>Cyanophyceae.</i> Of these, 101 species and 11 genera were recorded only within this zone. The ecological spectrum of Ukrainian cyanoflora consists of freshwater (66.3&#37;), marine (14.5&#37;), and terrestrial (9.5&#37;) species, as well as species with a wide ecological range (7.3&#37;), brackish water (4.1&#37;) and eurytopic (1.4&#37;) species. The representation of species in different habitat types varies widely. Most species were found in rivers (56.5&#37; of the total list), lakes (38.0&#37;), ponds (34.6&#37;) and reservoirs (29.4&#37;). Among continental water bodies, swamps have the most peculiar species composition (9.8&#37; of species are found only here). Floodplain water bodies have the least specific species composition (0.5&#37;). Among non-aquatic habitats, the largest number of species was found in soils (excluding saline): 179 species from 55 genera, 15.6&#37; of species occur only in this type of habitats. In the Ukrainian sectors of the Black and Azov seas, 228 species from 80 genera of cyanobacteria were found, of which 41 species (17.9&#37;) were not registered in other types of habitats. 43 species are widely distributed in water bodies and soils of Ukraine. They include the water bloom agents<i> Dolichospermum spiroides</i> (Kleb.) Wacklin et al., <i>Microcystis flosaquae</i> (Wittrock) Kirchn. and <i>M. viridis</i> (A.Braun in Rabenh.) which most often occur in reservoirs of the plain part of Ukraine.