干旱区生态环境知识资源中心

Living green microalgae morphologically identified as Muriella terrestris and Heterochlorella luteo-viridis have been cultivated from buried soil samples of a Middle Sarmatian kurgan (1st Century AD.). Paleosols for which the algal flora has been studied have a microalgal pool with a substantially lower abundance and taxonomic diversity than modern humus horizons. We discuss the probable reasons for the preservation of microalgae viability in paleosols over a period of 200 years after their burial. The first find of the green alga Hemiflagellochloris kazakhstanica in Russia was discovered in fine solonchakous solonetz, buried approximately 40 years ago as result of plowing of the kurgan. The structures of algal-cyanobacterial assemblages of modern background soils are also considered.