Digital library

  • Some observations made on the output and viability of oospores in Sargassum wightii are presented. iMiaximum output of healthy spores was observed for seven days in the laboratory experiments, without any periodicity in the Eberation of oospores. Spore-shedding season extends for three months, from November to January, with the highest value in December. In viability experiments 47.6% of the sporelings have been found in healthy condition at the end of 60 days.

    Author(s): Rao, M Umamaheswara, Kaliaperumal, N
  • To find a disinfecting method that relieves sori from diatom contamination, without damaging the spores or affecting the early development of young sporophytes.

    Author(s): Yngvar Olsen, Kjell Inge Reitan
  • The sorption of boron from aqueous solution onto Caulerpa racemosa var. cylindracea (CRC), collected from Seferihisar/Izmir region in Turkey, was investigated as a function of pH, temperature, initial boron concentration, adsorbent dosage, contact time and ionic strength. Optimum conditions for the sorption of boron were obtained at pH 7.5, 318 K, 8 mg L−1 initial boron concentration, 0.2 g of CRC, 2.5 h contact time and greater ionic strength (10−1 M NaCl). As the temperature was increased the boron removal took place with higher percentages. In experiments conducted at optimum conditions, maximum boron sorption was determined to be about 63%. The experimental data were analyzed by Freundlich, Langmuir and Dubinin–Radusckevich (DR) equations. Freundlich and DR models provide best conformity with the experimental data. In order to describe kinetics of boron sorption onto CRC, first-order Lagergren equation, pseudo-second-order kinetic model and intraparticle diffusion model were used. It was seen that the first order Lagergren equation was better described than the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. Thermodynamic parameters of sorption process were also calculated. It was obtained that sorption process was not spontaneous. The characterization of CRC was carried out by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis.

    Author(s): Elif Ant Bursali, Levent Cavas, Serap Seyhan Bozkurt, Muruvvet Yurdakoc, Yoldas Seki
  • The green seaweed Ulva is one of South Africa’s most important aquaculture products, constituting an important feed source particularly for abalone (Haliotis midae L.), and utilized as a bioremediation tool and other benefits such as biomass for biofuel production and for integrated aquaculture. Besides Ulva spp, Gracilaria spp. are also cultivated. Wild seaweed harvest in South Africa totals 7,602 mt, compared to 2,015 mt of cultivated Ulva. To mitigate for the reliance on wild harvesting, the South African seaweed aquaculture industry has grown rapidly over the past few decades. On-land integrated culture units, with paddle-wheel raceways, are now widely viewed as the preferred method of production for the industry. The success of seaweed aquaculture in South Africa is due to a number of natural and human (industrial) factors. The development of the seaweed aquaculture industry has paralleled the growth of the abalone industry, and has been successful largely because of bilateral technology transfer and innovation between commercial abalone farms and research institutions. In South Africa seaweeds have been used commercially as feedstock for phycocolloid production, for the production of abalone feed, and the production of Kelpak® and Afrikelp®, which are plant-growth stimulants used in the agricultural sector. Additionally, Ulva is being investigated for large-scale biogas production. The South African seaweed industry provides a template that could be used by other coastal African nations to further their undeveloped aquaculture potential.

    Author(s): John J. Bolton, Robert J. Anderson, Gavin W. Maneveldt, Deborah V. Robertson-Andersson, Albert O. Amosu
  • The zonation pattern of macroalgal assemblages was investigated from December 1995 to October 1996 on a semi-exposed, rocky intertidal shore at Chungdori (southwestern Korea) based on quantitative and qualitative estimates of species occurrences in 31 permanent quadrats. Variation in cover associated with tidal levels was described for 30 species (that could be discerned with the unaided eyes) including three green, five brown and 22 red algae. Macroalgae inhabiting intertidal zone exhibited distinct zonation patterns. The number of species increased with decreasing intertidal height and was independent of season. The community was dominated by five species (Gloiopeltis furcata, Gelidium divaricatum, Ulva pertusa, Sargassum horneri, Hizikia fusiformis). The intertidal assemblage at the study site can be divided into two groups based on the number of species and the population structure with the division occurring at the critical level of 34 cm above MLW (mean low water). Gloiopeltisfurcata, Gelidium divaricatum, Sargassum thunbergii, Monostroma grevillei, and Myelophycus simplex were more abundant in the upper shore zone and rapidly declined in abundance with depth, relative to all other species. Gelidium amansii, Pachymeniopsis elliptica, Hizikia fusiformis, Gigartina intermedia, Laurencia sp., Chondrus ocellatus, Corallina spp. and Gigartina tenella became more dominant in the lower shore zone.

    Author(s): Kwang Young Kim, Tae Seob Choi
  • Objective: Provide spatial perspectives on mariculture from a global viewpoint in the context of climate zones.

    Overview of perspectives: Production; Coastline length of mariculture countries; Intensity of mariculture production; Maritime claims; Off of the Coast and Offshore Maritime Zones; Areas apt for cages and longlines; Example of access to ports and travel time/distance; Conclusions.

    Author(s): James McDaid Kapetsky, José Aguilar-Manjarrez, Jeff Jenness
  • Saccharina latissima is a perennial kelp with a circumboreal distribution from the North Pacific to the North Atlantic coasts. Our study clarified the taxonomy of the morphologically distinct Saccharina latissima forma angustissima (Collins) A.Mathieson from the low intertidal zone on exposed islands and ledges of Casco Bay, Maine, USA. To identify genetic divergence between the two morphotypes, S. latissima and S. latissima f. angustissima, we used a multilocus phylogenetic approach including nuclear-encoded internal transcribed spacer, mitochondrial cox1 and cox3, and plastidencoded rbcL gene sequences. Genetic analysis of the individual markers and combined data set using SVDquartets resulted in p-distance values for all markers of , 1%, suggesting low divergence between the two forms. However, there was as much or more genetic divergence between S. latissima and S. latissima f. angustissima as there were between other taxonomically accepted species of Saccharina. To investigate sexual compatibility between the two forms, we made reciprocal crosses of the gametophytes and observed sporophyte formation. All crosses were successfully grown to the juvenile sporophyte stage, suggesting that the two are reproductively compatible in vitro. It is unknown if the two populations freely hybridize in the field. Last, we compared wave action, the ecological factor most likely driving the unique morphology, at exposed sites with S. latissima f. angustissima and protected sites with S. latissima. The mean wave force at the exposed site was over 30 times higher in magnitude than at the protected site at 160.04 6 32.58 N and 4.75 6 6.75 N, respectively, during the summer. The significant differences in morphology, the lack of specimens with intermediate morphologies, and the results of a common garden experiment suggest that the morphological differences in S. latissima f. angustissima are heritable with a genetic basis. Therefore, on the basis of our molecular evidence coupled with ecological studies, we are elevating S. latissima f. angustissima (Collins) A.Mathieson to specific rank as S. angustissima (Collins) Augyte, Yarish & Neefus comb. nov. & stat. nov.

    Author(s): Yarish, Charles CHRISTOPHER D. NEEFUS, SENJIE LIN, LOUISE LEWIS, SIMONA AUGYTE
  • FAO fisheries fact sheet on Chondrus crispus (Stackhouse 1797), also known as Irish moss.

    Author(s):
  • Ocean acidification (OA), resulting from increasing dissolved carbon dioxide (CO2) in surface waters, is likely to affect many marine organisms, particularly those that calcify. Recent OA studies have demonstrated negative and/or differential effects of reduced pH on growth, development, calcification and physiology, but most of these have focused on taxa other than calcareous benthic macroalgae. Here we investigate the potential effects of OA on one of the most common coral reef macroalgal genera, Halimeda. Species of Halimeda produce a large proportion of the sand in the tropics and are a major contributor to framework development on reefs because of their rapid calcium carbonate production and high turnover rates. On Palmyra Atoll in the central Pacific, we conducted a manipulative bubbling experiment to investigate the potential effects of OA on growth, calcification and photophysiology of 2 species of Halimeda. Our results suggest that Halimeda is highly susceptible to reduced pH and aragonite saturation state but the magnitude of these effects is species specific. H. opuntia suffered net dissolution and 15% reduction in photosynthetic capacity, while H. taenicola did not calcify but did not alter photophysiology in experimental treatments. The disparate responses of these species to elevated CO2 partial pressure (pCO2) may be due to anatomical and physiological differences and could represent a shift in their relative dominance in the face of OA. The ability for a species to exert biological control over calcification and the species specific role of the carbonate skeleton may have important implications for the potential effects of OA on ecological function in the future.

    Author(s): Nichole N. Price, Scott L. Hamilton, Jesse S. Tootell, Jennifer E. Smith
  • Concerns about how ocean acidification will impact marine organisms have steadily increased in recent years, but there is a lack of knowledge on the responses of macroalgae. Here, we adopt an outdoor continuous-flowing mesocosm system designed for ocean acidification experiment that allows high CO2 conditions to vary with natural fluctuations in the environment. Following the establishment of the mesocosm, five species of macroalgae that are common along the coast of Korea (namely Ulva pertusa, Codium fragile, Sargassum thunbergii, S. horneri, and Prionitis cornea) were exposed to three different CO2 concentrations: ambient (×1) and elevated CO2 (2× and 4× ambient), over two-week period, and their ecophysiological traits were measured. Results indicated that both photosynthesis and growth exhibited species-specific responses to the different CO2 concentrations. Most notably, photosynthesis and growth increased in S.thunbergii when exposed to elevated CO2 conditions but decreased in P. cornea. The preference for different inorganic carbon species (CO2 and HCO3-), which were estimated by gross photosynthesis in the presence and absence of the external carbonic anhydrase (eCA) inhibitor acetazolamide, were also found to vary among species and CO2 treatments. Specifically, the two Sargassum species exhibited decreased eCA inhibition of photosynthesis with increased growth when exposed to high CO2 conditions. In contrast, growth of U. pertusa and C. fragile were not notably affected by increased CO2. Together, these results suggest that the five species of macroalgae may respond differently to changes in ocean acidity, with species-specific responses based on their differentiated photosynthetic acclimation. Understanding these physiological changes might allow us to better predict future changes in macroalgal communities in a more acidic ocean.

    Author(s): Ju-Hyoung Kim, Eun Ju Kang, Matthew S. Edwards, Kitack Lee, Hae Jin Jeong, Kwang Young Kim

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