Diatoms of North AmericaDiatoms of North America

Nitzschia microcephala

Grunow 1880

Nitzschia Microcephala Guide
  • Category
    Nitzschioid
  • Length Range
    10-15 µm
  • Width Range
    3 µm
  • Striae in 10 µm
    Striae are not easily visible

Identification

Nitzschia microcephala LM1 Nitzschia microcephala LM4 Nitzschia microcephala LM2 Nitzschia microcephala LM5 Nitzschia microcephala LM3
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Description

Valves are linear with straight or slightly concave margins. The apices are protracted, narrow and narrowly rounded. Fibulae are distinct and number 12-16 in 10 µm. Striae are not easily visible, being resolved in only some specimens.

Autecology

Original Description

  • Author
    Grunow 1880

Cite This Page

Kociolek, P. (2011). Nitzschia microcephala. In Diatoms of North America. Retrieved April 25, 2024, from https://diatoms.org/species/nitzschia_microcephala

Responses

The 15 response plots show an environmental variable (x axis) against the relative abundance (y axis) of Nitzschia microcephala 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.