Algae Culture Collection at the Herbarium of SIPPB SB RAS – IRK-A – was initiated in 2003 subsequent to the work on the study of algae in terrestrial ecosystems. Strains of immobile green (Chlorophyta) microalgae from the LABIK collection of Komarov Botanical Institute RAS (St. Petersburg) were the beginning of the collection. A number of them are maintained in the IRK-A collection fund to the present day. Today, it has been replenished with several cultures from the *LABIK and SYKOA (Collection of live strains of microalgae of the Institute of Biology of Komi Science Centre UB RAS, Syktyvkar; ib.komisc.ru/sykoa). The basis of the collection (90%) is the original culture.

 

The collection is the result of laboratory and field (expedition) works. During the expeditionary researches, about 4000 samples have been collected; they are stored in the SIPPB SB RAS on the basis of the Laboratory of Natural and Anthropogenic Ecosystems (= Entomopathology of Woody Plants) and are the source of original algae cultures. The cultures are also maintained on the basis of the laboratory.

 

Currently, the collection fund of IRK-A has 165 isolates. As a minimum, they are duplicated for purposes of more reliable safety (the number of all strains together with duplicates is 330). Algae from five groups are represented: blue-green algae (Cyanophyta / Cyanobacteria / Cyanoprokaryota – 13 isolates), eustigmatophytes (Eustigmatophyta – 11 isolates), yellow-green (Xanthophyta – 2 isolates), green algae (Chlorophyta – 130 isolates) and streptophytes (Streptophyta – 9 isolates). Material from different ecological and geographical conditions has been collected: algae have been isolated from aquatic ecotopes, from samples of various terrestrial substrates and soils of Russia, Mongolia and Antarctica. The geography of Russian strains includes a number of regions: the Trans-Baikal Territory, the Irkutsk Region, the Republic of Buryatia, the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), the Republic of Altai, the Leningrad Region*. The regions of Asian Russia, where original samples were collected, are mostly hard-to-reach mountain areas unique in their natural characteristics.

 

The cultures are maintained in glass and plastic containers in agar (1.0–1.8% agar), liquid and biphasic Bold's basal medium (N BBM and 3N BBM, Bischoff & Bold, 1963) in refrigerated display cabinets equipped with Fluora and electroluminescent lamps. Growing conditions: illumination mode 16 h – day: 8 h – night; temperature 10–12 °С. Plant transplantation is 1-3 times a year.

 

LIST OF ALGAE CULTURE IN THE COLLECTION FUND OF IRK–A