Numerical Taxonomic Studies on Some Egyptian
Soil Cyanophyceae
A. D. El-Gamal, E. A. Kamel and N. A. E. Ghnem
Department of Biology, University College, Umm Al-Qura University,
Makkah, P.O. Box: 2064
Saudi Arabia
Abstract. In the present work, morphological and ecological characteristics of three
Egyptian Cyanophyceae genera; Oscillatoria (five species), Lyngbya (three species) and
Anabaena (three species) were analyzed using numerical taxonomic system of
multivariate statistical program. Data were analyzed by clustering method and
similarity coefficients using NTSYSpc version 2.02i. Three different phenogram were
produced for the studied genera and the relationships between the species were
discussed.
Key words:
Oscillatoria; Lyngbya; Anabaena; soil cyanophyceae; numerical
analysis; cluster method; species relationships; Egypt.
1
Recently, Hoffmann et al. (2005)
Introduction
In
soil
algae,
the
system
of
proposed
a
revision
to
the
classification has based largely on
cyanobacterial classification under
morphological characters
and on
the botanical code. Wacklin (2006)
some ecological data which have
cleared that the classification used
evolved over many years ago. In
for cyanobacteria is based mainly on
some cases, such data lack any
morphology. In many cases the
established genetic basis as well as
classification
the few morphological characters
incongruent with the phylogeny of
available
to
cyanobacteria. The evaluation of this
distinguish between organisms or
classification is complicated by the
speak
relationships
fact that numerous strains are only
(Robert, 1973). Attempt to apply the
described morphologically and have
numerical taxonomy system program
not been isolated. Moreover, the
was tried as the calculated simple
phenotype of many cyanobacterial
matching coefficients and a drawn
strains
phenogram
laboratory
cultivation.
imbalance of many keys. This
relationships
between
procedure may preclude inadvertent
species are not yet definitely solved,
weightings of characters.
but the separation of a special genus
are
about
insufficient
their
might
solve
the
alters
is
known
during
to
be
prolonged
The
different
is justified and all up to date
2
corresponding and validly described
criteria:
Thallus
(Wacklin et al., 2009).
morphology and dimension & size of
heterocysts
and
color,
thallus
vegetative
cells.
&
Materials and Methods
reproductive
Culturing and isolation of algae.
forming blue-green algae were also
The following methods were applied
cultured in nitrogen-free Z-medium
on air-dried soil samples, using Z-
(El-Gamal,
medium (Staub, 1961) and modified
species are shown in Plate 1.
1995).
Heterocyst-
The
studied
Watanabe medium (El-Nawawy et
al., 1958) for isolation and culturing
Numerical analysis. The presence
of algae. Semi-solid medium as
or absence of each of the different
described by El-Ayouty & Ayyad
character was treated as a binary
(1972) and filter paper method as
character in a data matrix (coded 1
recommended by Esmarch (1914)
and 0, respectively) for computation.
were applied. About 10 g of the soil
Data were analyzed by clustering
sample were also placed in flasks
method and similarity coefficients
containing 100 ml of the sterilized
using
liquid medium. The Petri-dishes as
(Rohlf, 1998). The method applied is
well as flasks were incubated at 30°C
based
under continuous light (2500 lux).
expresses the relationships at the
The identification of algae was
studied
carried out using the following
coefficient in phenograms.
3
NTSYSpc
on
cluster
species
version
analysis
as
2.02i
and
similarity
examined. The clusters can then be
Results and Discussion
Taxonomy
classification
is
the
and
science
has
of
related to each other by means of a
several
phenogram.
In
this
type
of
functions. The first is to describe the
classification, individual characters
species which is the basic taxonomic
gain an importance not given to them
unit. The second is to catalogue
in hierarchical taxonomy. The great
these species into some arrangement
advantage of this method is that it
enabling the relationships between
requires the determination of a large
species to be recognized. Numerical
number
classification
the
method also requires the use of a
quantification of similarities and
computerized data base and is now
differences, with no weighting being
used as the basis of a number of
given to any one character. It should
rapid identification systems, e.g. the
therefore be possible to quantify the
NTsys program.
is
based
on
of
characteristics.
The
relationships between cells on the
basis of the number of similarities
For the numerical analysis, the algal
they share, relative to the number
species
examined.
species had a unique code number to
were
numbered.
Each
facilitate the running of computation
The method is basically a cluster
program as summarized in Table 1.
analysis in n-dimensional space,
where n is the number of variables
4
Numerical
analysis
morphological
and
numerical analysis were shown in
of
Tables 2, 3 and 4 (respectively).
ecological
characters. The morphological and
ecological criteria of the examined
The phenogram produced by the
species
been
analysis of the studied species of the
considered as attributes and are used
genus Oscillatoria based on coding
for a number of numerical analyses
of 20 attributes shown in Fig. 1. This
using
phenogram shows that the examined
(Plate
the
NTSYSpc
1)
UPGMA
version
have
method
of
2.02i (Rohlf,
species
have
a
total
similarity
1998) program in order to illustrate
coefficient of about 1.48. At this
the
these
level, O. subbrevis (5) was split off
species on their similarities in these
from the other species and then at
attributes.
1.42 level, the remaining species are
relationships
between
separated into two groups. The first
In the genus Oscillatoria a total of
one composed of O. nigra (3) and O.
20 characters have been observed,
sancta (4), which they distinguished
within the genus Lyngbya a total of
from each other at the 1.32 level.
12 characters have been observed,
The other group included O. amoena
whereas in Anabaena, 27 characters
(1) and O. anguina (2), which they
have been scored. The data of the
distinguished from each other at the
morphological
1.19 level.
characters
were
and
used
ecological
in
the
5
According to the Prescott (1982), the
environmental
five species of Oscillatoria were
Kondratyeva et al. (1974) measured
separated based on the size of
cell size of Microcystis aeruginosa
trichome whereas, O. scanta was
and found that larger cells occurred
greater than 10 µ, while the other
under
species was less than 10 µ. It was
conditions. They pointed out that
seemed that both O. amoena and O.
underestimation of the effect of
subbrevis are closely related to each
environment on cell size may cause
other. While, O. anguina and O.
errors in recognition of intraspecific
nigra were seemed as if they were
taxa. Variations in size of the cells of
close together. The Prescott key is
filamentous
adopted in part, on the color of
(BGA) in response to variation in
trichome to differentiate between
environmental conditions have also
species.
been reported.
In the taxonomy of blue-green algae,
The phenogram produced by the
cell size plays an important role at
analyses of the studied species of
the species level, but in nature
Lyngbya based on a total of 12
numerous morphological deviations
characters is shown in Fig. 2. The
which are not genetically stable exist
phenogram obtained shows that the
within specific algal taxa. The cell
examined species of Lyngbya have a
size of most species is influenced by
total similarity coefficient of about
6
less
conditions.
favorable
Blue
Green
culture
Algae
1.54. At this level, L. hieronymusii
in Fig. 3. The phenogram obtained
(7) was split off from the other two
shows that the examined species of
species and then at the level of 1.11,
Anabaena have a total similarity
L. birgei and L. martensiana (6 & 8)
coefficient of about 1.45. At this
were distinguished from each other.
level, A. wisconsinense (10) was
split off from the other two species
Prescott (1982) has depended on the
and then at the level of 1.33, A.
filament diameter in the separation
torulosa and A. variabilis (9 & 11)
of the three species of Lyngbya and
were distinguished from each other.
accordingly, he has separated L.
Following the system of Prescott
birgei from L. hieronymusii. In
(1982), the classification of the three
addition, he has depended on the
species of Anabaena was depended
environmental conditions associated
on their nature in the aquatic
with Lyngbya species to separate L.
environment
martensiana. Accordingly, there was
otherwise, therefore he was able to
no clear kinship between the three
separate A. wisconsinense from A.
algal species.
torulosa. On the other side, A.
as
euplanktons
or
torulosa was separated from A.
On the other hand, the phenogram
variabilis depending on the presence
produced by the analyses of the
of
studied species of Anabaena based
heterocysts. Therefore, A. torulosa
on a total of 27 characters is shown
and A. variabilis had the same path
7
akinetes
near
or
far
from
during
identification,
while
A.
indifferent environmental conditions
wisconsinense had a different path.
(Komárek, 1991).
The present data are in agreement
with Prescott’s key study (1982).
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