Snow algae from the Australian Snowy Mountains

Algae living in snow banks that persist into the summer in the Snowy Mountains of Australia have been investigated. Those identified as Chlamydomonas nivalis (Bau.) Wille and Chlamydomonas bolyaiana Kol colour the snow bright-red. The red colour is due to carotenoids which ultrastructural studies show are located in cytoplasmic vacuoles. Chloromonas brevispina (Fristch) Hoh., Roem et Mull. gives rise to yellow-green patches of snow. Koliella nivalis Hind. and Raphidonema nivale Lagerh. have also been found. These algae are green but have not been found in sufficient concentrations to colour the snow. The fungus Chionaster nivalis (Bohl.) Wille frequently occurs in association with the algae.