The terrestrial, marine and freshwater microalgae from Antarctica: biodiversity, physiological and molecular aspects.

This data set describes the research carried out from 1988 to 2003 on samples collected in the sea (Terra Nova Bay and Wood Bay), in several lakes (Edmonson Point, Markham Island, Inexpressible Island, Teall Nunatak, Tarn Flat, Skua Lake, Carezza Lake and Gondwana Lake) and in some terrestrial areas, during four Italian Antarctic Expeditions (1988/89, 1992/93, 1994/95, 1998/99). The preserved freshwater and sea-water samples were investigated at LM, SEM and flow citometry and as regards the sea environment, the same surveys were carried out also on sea-ice, on the underlying water column and on the melt water samples.

Moreover, from in vivo samples, collected in these same environments, monospecific microalgal cultures were set up to ultrastructural, biochemical, physiological and molecular surveys. The results obtained till now are interesting as evidenced from the scientific papers.