The effect of organic material and inorganic ions on the photosynthetic rate of the red alga Bostrychia binderi from a Florida estuary

Various constituents of spring water (calcium, bicarbonate, nitrate, phosphate, total organic material) influence the response of photosynthetic rate of B. binderi Harvey to changes in salinity. The rate of photosynthesis increased with a decrease in salinity. The rate of photosynthesis in low salin...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Marine biology 1981-01, Vol.64 (2), p.213-218
Main Authors: Dawes, C J, McIntosh, R P
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Bostrychia binderi
Brackish
Rhodophyta
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Summary:Various constituents of spring water (calcium, bicarbonate, nitrate, phosphate, total organic material) influence the response of photosynthetic rate of B. binderi Harvey to changes in salinity. The rate of photosynthesis increased with a decrease in salinity. The rate of photosynthesis in low salinities was greater in seawater diluted with spring water than in seawater diluted with distilled water. Elevation of photosynthetic rates in the lower salinities (0 and 5 ppt) was partially due to increased levels of bicarbonate and various nutrients present in natural spring water. This study suggests that the diverse algal floras, characteristic of estuaries on the west coast of Florida are in part the result of natural spring water mixing with seawater, sustaining the algae over short periods of low salinities.
ISSN:0025-3162
1432-1793
DOI:10.1007/BF00397111