ISSN:
1438-3888
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Biology
Notes:
Abstract The estuarine red alga,Bostrychia radicans, was subjected to osmotic stresses ranging from hypo-osmotic (9.9‰) to hyperosmotic conditions (37.4‰). The growth rate decreased with increasing salinities and showed a maximum in a mesohaline medium, while the photosynthetic rate and the chlorophyll a content increased under hyper-osmotic conditions. The rate of respiration remained constant over the salinity range tested.B. radicans revealed typical characteristics of “shade plants” having a low light compensation point at 3–4 μE m−2 s−1 correlated with a low photon flux density of 70–100 μE m−2 s−1 for saturation of photosynthesis. These physiological properties may explain the success ofB. radicans in estuarine habitats.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF02365550
