Description
Approximately 120 km (75 mi) north of the Antarctic Peninsula is the archipelago of the South Shetland Islands. The South Shetlands are composed of 11 major islands, including King George, Livingston, Elephant and Deception, and several minor islands. Most of the land surface of the South Shetland Islands is glaciated. The islands are all positioned in the cold seas, south of the Antarctic convergence. Terrestrial vegetation consists of mosses, lichens, and algae, with a diverse and unique diatom community in lakes and ephemeral streams. Several nations maintain research stations on the islands.
Sites for
South Shetland Islands
- Bellingshausen Station (moist habitats), King George Island
- Crater Lake (soil), Deception Island
- Deception island (soil), Deception Island
- Fumarole Bay (soil), Deception Island
- Irizar Lake (soil), Deception Island
- Livingston Island (soil), Livingston Island
- Pools (moist habitats), King George Island
Diatom taxa found in
South Shetland Islands
- Luticola australomutica
- Luticola caubergsii
- Luticola gigamuticopsis
- Luticola nelida
- Luticola quadriscrobiculata
- Muelleria aequistriata
- Muelleria austroatlantica
- Muelleria kristinae
- Muelleria regigeorgiensis
- Muelleria rostrata
- Muelleria sabbei
- Muelleria tumida
