Frustules are narrowly rectangular in girdle view. In valve view,valves are weakly curved. Ventral margins are straight in smaller specimens and moderately concave in mid-size to large specimens. Ventral margins of larger specimens with barely visible swellings marking the position of the proximal raphe ends (difficult to discern in smaller valves). The dorsal margins are convex. Valve apices are rounded and slightly dorsally reflexed. Helictoglossae are located close to the apices. Striae are parallel. The areolae are unresolved in the LM. Spines are absent.
In Europe, this taxon is found in streams and is considered to be indicative of dystrophic, low pH (4) and moderate aluminum concentrations. (Alles et al. 1991). It is found in waters of specific conductance ranging 50-100 µmS. It is considered to be indifferent to sulfate concentrations.
Furey, P. (2012). Eunotia paludosa. In Diatoms of North America. Retrieved October 10, 2024, from https://diatoms.org/species/eunotia_paludosa
The 15 response plots show an environmental variable (x axis) against the relative abundance (y axis) of Eunotia paludosa from all the stream reaches where it was present. Note that the relative abundance scale is the same on each plot. Explanation of each environmental variable and units are as follows:
ELEVATION = stream reach elevation (meters)
STRAHLER = distribution plot of the Strahler Stream Order
SLOPE = stream reach gradient (degrees)
W1_HALL = an index that is a measure of streamside (riparian) human activity that ranges from 0 - 10, with a value of 0 indicating of minimal disturbance to a value of 10 indicating severe disturbance.
PHSTVL = pH measured in a sealed syringe sample (pH units)
log_COND = log concentration of specific conductivity (µS/cm)
log_PTL = log concentration of total phosphorus (µg/L)
log_NO3 = log concentration of nitrate (µeq/L)
log_DOC = log concentration of dissolved organic carbon (mg/L)
log_SIO2 = log concentration of silicon (mg/L)
log_NA = log concentration of sodium (µeq/L)
log_HCO3 = log concentration of the bicarbonate ion (µeq/L)
EMBED = percent of the stream substrate that is embedded by sand and fine sediment
log_TURBIDITY = log of turbidity, a measure of cloudiness of water, in nephelometric turbidity units (NTU).
DISTOT = an index of total human disturbance in the watershed that ranges from 1 - 100, with a value of 0 indicating of minimal disturbance to a value of 100 indicating severe disturbance.