Green algae in tundra soils affected by coal mine pollutions

Green algal communities were investigated in clean and pollution-impacted tundra soils around the large coal mine industrial complex of Vorkuta in the E. European Russian tundra. Samples were collected in three zones of open-cast coal mining with different degrees of pollution-impacted soil transformation. A total of 42 species of algae were found in all zones. The species richness decreased from 27 species in undisturbed zones to 19 species in polluted zones. Under open-cast coal mining impacts the community structure simplified, and the dominant algae complexes changed. Algae that are typical for clean soils disappeared from the communities. The total abundance of green algae ( counted together with Xanthophyta) ranged between 100-120 x 10(3) (cells/g dry soils) in undisturbed zones and 0.5-50 x 10(3) in polluted zones. Soil algae appear to be better indicators of coal mine technogenic pollution than flowering plants and mosses.