The Occurrence of Distinct Morphotypes within a Population of Fucus Spiralis

Discriminant function analysis was used to identify two morphotypes of Fucus spiralis (Phaeophyta: Fucales), F. spiralis forma spiralis and F. spiralis forma nanus, within a single population. Evidence was found that they are true formae, not extremes of a range of types produced in response to envi...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 1998-08, Vol.78 (3), p.1003-1006
Main Authors: Anderson, C.I.H., Scott, G.W.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animal and plant ecology
Animal, plant and microbial ecology
Autoecology
Biological and medical sciences
Fucus spiralis
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Marine
Plants and fungi
Short Communications
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Summary:Discriminant function analysis was used to identify two morphotypes of Fucus spiralis (Phaeophyta: Fucales), F. spiralis forma spiralis and F. spiralis forma nanus, within a single population. Evidence was found that they are true formae, not extremes of a range of types produced in response to environmental gradients. Forma spiralis tends to be larger than forma nanus, and to dominate the lower part of the species distribution on the shore. However, size alone appears insufficient to reliably separate the two formae given their high degree of morphological variability.
ISSN:0025-3154
1469-7769
DOI:10.1017/S0025315400044933