1. During the microbiological investigation of the Oze-Moor which is situated in the northern part of Nikko National Park, the writers found the socalled “Red and Green Snow” on the snow left unmelted of several locality about 1500-1800 meters above sea-level in May-June 1951. They were also given the samples of red snow which were collected on the mountain ridge (ca. 2000m.) of Mt. Shirouma in May 1951 and on the snow valley (ca. 2500m.) near Mt. Eboshi in August 1951. These were spreading over the snow surface as small irregular patches measuring from several centimeters to one meter in diameter.
2. Cryophilous species determined from these samples are as follows. Fungi:
Chionaster nivalis, Selenotila nivalis. Algae:
Chlamidomonas nivalis, Chodatella brevispina, Scotiella nivalis, Raphidonema nivale, Raphidonema Tatrae. Japanese
Chodatella brevispina seems to be the slight modification of the European type differring in its having thicker and longer spines (2.1-2.8μ long). As for the non-cryophilous fungal members, the yeast-like cells, Chytridiaceous zoosporangium, hyphae of
Dematium, spores of
Guepiniopsis, Prosthemium, Scolecosporium, Asterosporium and others may be mentioned, Furthermore,
Mucor hiemalis (-),
Penicillium sp., several species of bacteria were separated as pure culture.
3. The main element of red snow is
Chlamydomonas nivalis which was found in the stage of chlamydospores, some of them having gelatinous outer membrane.
4. The main element of green snow is commonly
Chodatella or rarely
Chlamydomonas. This type of green snow seems to be different from European
Raphidonema- Type and American
Chlamydomonas-Type.
5. Ph-range of green snow was 4.2-4.8 in half melting condition of materials.
6. Red snow was found in such a place exposed to the direct rays of the sun as mountain ridge, snow valley or
Fagus-forest. On the contrary, green snow was spreading in the dark places of coniferous forest.
7.
Chionaster nivalis is a kind of fungi and seems to pass the summer season in the stage of chlamydospores which are supposed to be formed by the conjugation of two cells.
8. We are now studying the life history of
Chlamydomonas nivalis, Chionaster nivalis and
Selenotila nivalis, the latter two being not yet settled in their systematic position. The question how they live in summer season is left unsolved.
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