The vertical migration of diatoms in mud-flats was studied in littoral of Xibian, Longhai County and Xiao'ao, Lianjiang County, the dominant species being Gyrosigma spencerii and Hantzschia virgata respectively.Both light and tide are important factors affecting the vertical migration of diatoms.With the advent of tide, the diatom community disappears from the surface.It reappears gradually when exposed to light.In the dark, the diatoms never appear in great quantity on the surface in laboratory or in littoral.Whether in the light or in the dark, the diatoms aggregate in maximum numbers in the upper 2 mm of the sediment.But when the tide has covered the sediments for 4 hr, Hantz.virgata penetrates the mud down to a depth of 14 mm, Gy.spencerii, 12 mm.We have found that Gy.spencerii posseses phototaxis, but no tide rhythm and no day-night rhythm in our laboratory.
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