Skip to main content
Log in

Modern Diatom Assemblages in Surface Sediments from Estuarine Systemsin the Southeastern Buenos Aires Province, Argentina

  • Published:
Journal of Paleolimnology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Paleoecological reconstructions of Holocene sea-level changes in Argentinean coastal regions were based mainly on ecological data gathered from other regions, as there was a lack of information on modern estuarine diatom distributions. The aim of the present work was to assess the spatial variation of diatom assemblages in two representative estuaries of Argentina in order to gather ecological information for paleoecological reconstructions in the region. The two selected estuaries have different geomorphologic features and salinity regimes: Mar Chiquita Lagoon is shallow, which prevents the development of a stable salinity gradient as it occurs in the Quequén Grande River. Surface sediment samples were taken from selected stations representative of the environmental gradient from the inlet to the inner reaches of both estuaries. Cluster analysis defined three diatom zones at Mar Chiquita: marine/brackish assemblages dominate the inlet (zone I), where salinity, tidal range and current speed are higher. The brackish/freshwater tychoplankton Staurosira construens var. venter and Staurosirella pinnata dominate the inner lagoon (zone II), where environmental conditions are very variable and concentrations of suspended sediments are higher. Brackish/freshwater euryhaline diatoms dominate the headwaters (zone III). On the other hand, the Quequén Grande River was divided into three diatom zones: coastal taxa are distributed at the inlet (zone I), while the middle estuary (zone II) is dominated by brackish/freshwater euryhaline taxa. At the upper estuary region (zone III), freshwater diatoms dominate, and the halophobous Nitzschia denticula increased in abundance values. Diatom distributions were most closely related to the salinity gradient at Quequén Grande River than at Mar Chiquita Lagoon. Fossil data of a sequence from Mar Chiquita Lagoon (Las Gallinas Creek) were compared to the modern data set in order to search for analogies between fossil and modern diatom assemblages. DCA results showed that fossil diatom assemblages have modern counterparts. Most diatom assemblages of Las Gallinas Creek fall within Mar Chiquita zone III, representing a shallow brackish/freshwater environment, with low salinity fluctuations (~1–9‰) and no tidal influence. Therefore, our modern diatom data provide useful analogs to interpret paleoenvironments in the region.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • M.C. Ampsoker C.D. McIntire (1978) ArticleTitleDistribution of intertidal diatoms associated with sediments in Yanquina estuary Oregon. J. Phycol. 14 387–395

    Google Scholar 

  • R.E.M. Archibald (1983) The diatoms of the Sundays and Great Fish Rivers in the eastern Cape Province of South Africa J. Cramer (Eds) Bibliotheca Diatomologica NumberInSeriesvol. 1 A.R. Gantner Verlag Vaduz 673

    Google Scholar 

  • R.W. Battarbee (1986) Diatom analysis B.E. Berglund (Eds) Handbook of Holocene Palaeoecology and Palaeohydrology J. Wiley and Sons New York 527–570

    Google Scholar 

  • L.H. Carpelan (1978) ArticleTitleEvolutionary euryhalinity of diatoms in changing environments Nova Hedwigia 29 489–526 Occurrence HandleA1978HH13800005

    ISI  Google Scholar 

  • S.R. Cooper (1999) Estuarine paleoenvironmental reconstructions using diatoms E.F. Stoermer J.P. Smol (Eds) The Diatoms: Applications for the Environmental and Earth Sciences Cambridge University Press London 352–373

    Google Scholar 

  • L.C. Cortizo F.I. Isla (2001) Land-cover change and cliff retreat along the coasts of Necochea and LoberiaArgentina. Res. IX Simp Lat. de Percepción Remota Iguazú 115

    Google Scholar 

  • C.G. Francesco ParticleDe F.I. Isla (2003) ArticleTitleDistribution and abundance of hydrobiid snails in a mixed estuary and a coastal lagoon, Argentina Estuaries 26 790–797 Occurrence Handle10.1007/BF02711989

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • H. Wolf ParticleDe (1982) ArticleTitleMethod of coding of ecological data from diatoms for computer utilization Med. Rijks Geol. Dienst. 36 95–99

    Google Scholar 

  • J.P. Debenay P. Carbonel M.-T. Morzadec-Kerfourn A. Cazaboun M. Denèfle A.-M. Lézine (2003) ArticleTitleMulti-bioindicator study of a small estuary in Vendée (France) Estuar. Coast. Shelf Sci. 58 843–860 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0272-7714(03)00189-6

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Denys L. 1991/1992. A check-list of the diatoms in the Holocene deposits of the Western Belgian coastal plain with the survey of their apparent ecological requirements, I. Introduction, ecological code and complete list. Serv. geol. Belg. prof. Paper 246, pp. 41.

  • L. Denys H. Wolf ParticleDe (1999) Diatoms as indicators of coastal paleo-environments and relative sea-level change E.F. Stoermer J.P. Smol (Eds) The Diatoms: Applications for the Environmental and Earth Sciences Cambridge University Press London 277–297

    Google Scholar 

  • M.A. Espinosa (1988) ArticleTitlePaleoecología de diatomeas del estuario del Río Quequén (Prov. de Buenos Aires, Argentina) Thalassas 6 33–44

    Google Scholar 

  • M.A. Espinosa (1994) ArticleTitleDiatom paleoecology of the Mar Chiquita lagoon deltaArgentina J. Paleolim. 10 17–23 Occurrence Handle10.1007/BF00683142

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Espinosa M.A. 1998. Paleoecología de diatomeas en sedimentos cuaternarios del sudeste bonaerense. Doctoral Thesis, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, pp.101.

  • M.A. Espinosa (2001) ArticleTitleReconstrucción de paleoambientes holocenos de la costa de Miramar. (provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina) basada en diatomeas Ameghiniana 38 27–34 Occurrence Handle000168904800002

    ISI  Google Scholar 

  • M.A. Espinosa C.G. Francesco ParticleDe F.I. Isla (2003) ArticleTitlePaleoenvironmental reconstruction of Holocene coastal deposits from the southeastern Buenos Aires provinceArgentina J. Paleolim. 29 49–60 Occurrence Handle10.1023/A:1022873131949

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fasano J.L., Hernández M.A., Isla F.I. and Schnack E.J. 1982. Aspectos evolutivos y ambientales de la laguna Mar Chiquita (provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina). Oceanol. Acta SP: 285–292.

  • J. Frenguelli (1935) ArticleTitleDiatomeas de la Mar Chiquita al norte de Mar del Plata Rev. Museo de La PlataNueva serie I, Bot. 5 121–141

    Google Scholar 

  • J. Frenguelli (1938) ArticleTitleDiatomeas de la Bahía San Blas. (provincia de Buenos Aires) Rev. Museo de La PlataNueva serie I, Bot. 5 251–337

    Google Scholar 

  • J. Frenguelli (1939) ArticleTitleDiatomeas del Golfo San Matías (Río Negro) Rev. Museo de La PlataNueva serie II, Bot. 10 201–226

    Google Scholar 

  • J. Frenguelli (1941) ArticleTitleDiatomeas del Río de la Plata Rev. Museo de La PlataNueva serie III, Paleont. 16 77–251

    Google Scholar 

  • J. Frenguelli (1945) ArticleTitleLas diatomeas del Platense Rev. Museo de La PlataNueva serie III, Bot. 15 213–334

    Google Scholar 

  • F. García-Rodríguez A. Witkowski (2003) ArticleTitleInferring sea level variation from relative percentages of Pseudopodosira kosugii in Rocha lagoon, SE Uruguay Diatom Res. 18 49–59

    Google Scholar 

  • F. García-Rodríguez P. Sprechmann D. Metzeltin L. Scafati D.L. Melendi W. Volkheimer N. Mazzeo A. Hiller W. Tümpling ParticleVon SuffixJr. F. Scasso (2004) ArticleTitleHolocene trophic state changes in relation to sea level variation in Lake BlancaSE Uruguay J. Paleolimn. 31 99–115

    Google Scholar 

  • H. Germain (1981) Flore des Diatomées. Eaux douces et saumâtres du massif Armoricain et des contrées voisines d’Europe Occidentale Societé nouvelle des Editions Boubée Paris 446

    Google Scholar 

  • E.C. Grimm (1991) TILIA Software Illinois State Museum. Research and Collection Center SpringfieldIL, USA

    Google Scholar 

  • Hartley B. 1996. An atlas of British diatoms. In: Sims P.A. (eds), Biopress LtdBristol, pp. 601.

  • G. Hassan M.A. Espinosa F.I. Isla (2003) ArticleTitleDiatomeas bentónicas de la albufera Mar Chiquita (Buenos Aires, Argentina): Consideraciones tafonómicas preliminares Ameghiniana Suplemento Resúmenes 40 102R–103R

    Google Scholar 

  • G. Hassan M.A. Espinosa F.I. Isla (2004) ArticleTitleAnálisis paleoambiental de una secuencia del Holoceno Tardío del Arroyo Claromecó. (provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina) basado en diatomeas Ameghiniana 41 161–170 Occurrence Handle000222939400003

    ISI  Google Scholar 

  • F. Hustedt (1930) Bacillariophyta (Diatomae) A. Pascher (Eds) Die Süsswasserflora Mitteleuropas G. Fisher Verlag Jena 466

    Google Scholar 

  • F. Hustedt (1937–1938) ArticleTitleSystematische und ökologische Untersuchungen über die Diatomeen. “Flora von JavaBali und Sumatra nach dem Material der Deutschen Limnologischen Sunda-Expedition” Arch. Hydrobiol. supplementBand 15 131–506

    Google Scholar 

  • Hustedt F. 1959–1966. Die Kieselalgen. In: Rabenhorst L. (eds), Kryptogamen flora von DeutschlandÖsterreich und der Schweiz. 7(6)2: 737–845 (1959); 7(3)2: 161–348 (1962); 7(3)4: 557–816 (1966)

  • F.I. Isla E.S. Gaido (2001) Evolución geológica de la laguna Mar Chiquita O. Iribarne (Eds) Reserva de Biosfera Mar Chiquita características físicas, biológicas y ecológicas Editorial Martin, Mar del Plata Argentina 19–30

    Google Scholar 

  • Isla F.I., Folabella A. and Zamora A. 1996. Seasonal bacteria content in sediments of Mar Chiquita coastal lagoon, Argentina. Proc. Bahía Blanca Int. Coast. Symp., pp. 233–240.

  • H. Jiang M.-S. Seidenkrantz K.L. Knudsen J. Eiríksson (2001) ArticleTitleDiatom surface sediment assemblages around Iceland and their relationships to oceanic environmental variables Mar. Micropal. 41 73–96

    Google Scholar 

  • Juggins S. 1992. Diatoms in the Thames estuary, England: ecology, paleoecology, and salinity transfer function. In: Lange-Bertalot (ed.), Bibliotheca Diatomologica. J.Cramer, Berlin 25: 1–216.

  • K. Krammer H. Lange-Bertalot (1986) Bacillariophyceae. 1. Teil: Naviculaceae H. Ettl J. Gerloff H. Heynig D. Mollenhauer (Eds) Süsswasserflora von MitteleuropaBand 2/1 VEB Gustav Fisher Verlag Jena 876

    Google Scholar 

  • K. Krammer H. Lange-Bertalot (1988) Bacillariophyceae. 1. Teil: Naviculaceae H. Ettl J. Gerloff H. Heynig D. Mollenhauer (Eds) Süsswasserflora von MitteleuropaBand 2/2 VEB Gustav Fisher Verlag Jena 596

    Google Scholar 

  • M.N Kumru M. Bakaç (2003) ArticleTitleR-mode factor analysis to the distribution of elements in soils from the Aydin Basin, Turkey J. Geochem. Explor. 77 81–90 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DC%2BD3sXht1Wms7k%3D Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0375-6742(02)00271-6

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • H. Lange-Bertalot (2001) Navicula sensu stricto10 genera separated from Navicula sensu lato Frustulia Lange-Bertalot (Eds) Diatoms of Europevol NumberInSeriesVol. 2 Koeltz Scientific Books Koenigstein 526

    Google Scholar 

  • W.W. Moore C.D. McIntire (1977) ArticleTitleSpatial and seasonal distribution of littoral diatoms in Yanquina estuary, Oregon (USA) Bot. Mar. 20 99–109 Occurrence Handle10.1515/botm.1977.20.2.99

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • G.M.E. Perillo D.E. Perez M.C. Piccolo E.D. Palma D.G. Cuadrado (2005) ArticleTitleGeomorphologic and physical characteristics of a human impacted estuary: Quequén Grande River Estuary, Argentina Estuar. Coast. Shelf Sci. 62 301–312 Occurrence Handle10.1016/j.ecss.2004.09.018

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • R. Reta P. Martos G.M.E. Perillo M.C. Piccolo A. Ferrante (2001) Características hidrográficas del estuario de la laguna Mar Chiquita O. Iribarne (Eds) Reserva de Biosfera Mar Chiquita: Características físicas, biológicas y ecológicas Editorial Martin, Mar del Plata Argentina 31–52

    Google Scholar 

  • M.B. Richman (1986) ArticleTitleRotation of principal components J. Climatol. 6 293–335

    Google Scholar 

  • U. Rumrich H. Lange-Bertalot M. Rumrich (2000) Diatoms of the Andes. From Venezuela to Patagonia/Tierra del Fuego H. Lange-Bertalot (Eds) Iconographia Diatomologicavol. 9 A.R.G. Gantner Verlag, distributed by Koeltz Scientific Books Königstein 673

    Google Scholar 

  • E. Schwindt C. Francesco ParticleDe O. Iribarne (2004) ArticleTitleIndividual and reef growth of the introduced reef-building polychaete Ficopomatus enigmaticus in a south-western Atlantic coastal lagoon J. Mar. Biol. Assoc. UK 84 987–993 Occurrence Handle10.1017/S0025315404010288h

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • P. Snoeijs (1994) ArticleTitleDistribution of epiphytic diatom species composition, diversity and biomass on different macroalgal hosts along seasonal and salinity gradients in the Baltic Sea Diatom Res. 9 189–211

    Google Scholar 

  • P. Snoeijs (1999) Diatoms and environmental change in brackish waters E.F. Stoermer J.P. Smol (Eds) The Diatoms: Applications for the Environmental and Earth Sciences Cambridge University Press London 298–333

    Google Scholar 

  • InstitutionalAuthorNameStatsoft (1998) STATISTICA for Windows. Rel. 5.1 Statsoft Inc TulsaOK

    Google Scholar 

  • M.J. Sullivan (1999) Applied diatom studies in estuaries and shallow coastal environments E.F. Stoermer J.P. Smol (Eds) The Diatoms: Applications for the Environmental and Earth Sciences Cambridge University Press London 334–351

    Google Scholar 

  • F. Sylvestre B. Beck-Eichier W. Duleba J. Debenay (2001) ArticleTitleModern benthic diatom distribution in a hypersaline coastal lagoon: the Lagoa de Arauama (R.J.) Brazil Hydrobiologia 443 213–231 Occurrence Handle10.1023/A:1017558914971 Occurrence Handle000168065900019

    Article  ISI  Google Scholar 

  • P.C. Vos H. Wolf ParticleDe (1988) ArticleTitleMethodological aspects of paleo-ecological diatom research in coastal areas of the Netherlands Geol. en Mijn. 67 31–40

    Google Scholar 

  • P.C. Vos H. Wolf ParticleDe (1993) ArticleTitleDiatoms as a tool for reconstructing sedimentary environments in coastal wetlands; metodological aspects Hydrobiologia 269 285–296 Occurrence HandleA1993MK66600031

    ISI  Google Scholar 

  • M.C. Whiting C.D. McIntire (1985) ArticleTitleAn investigation of distributional patterns in the diatom flora of Netarts Bay, Oregon, by means of correspondence analysis J. Phycol. 21 655–661

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Gabriela S. Hassan.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Hassan, G.S., Espinosa, M.A. & Isla, F.I. Modern Diatom Assemblages in Surface Sediments from Estuarine Systemsin the Southeastern Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. J Paleolimnol 35, 39–53 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10933-005-6444-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10933-005-6444-8

Keywords

Navigation