Abstract
Documented evidence of the suitability of various artificial light sources for the culture of unicellular algae is scarce. This paper reports the results of a comparison of the growth rates of 5 species of marine unicellular algae at various light intensities produced by an incandescent filament source or daylight fluorescent tubes. Under light saturating conditions the maximum growth rate achieved by each species was the same under each artificial source. Under sub-optimal intensities, no difference in the growth rates under the 2 sources was detected in the case of Phaeodactylum tricornutum, Chlorella ovalis or Monochrysis lutheri. However, under these conditions both Brachiomonas submarina and Dunaliella primolecta required higher intensities of incident illumination from the fluorescent source than from the incandescent source to maintain a particular relative growth rate.
Similar content being viewed by others
Literature cited
Algeus, S.: Studies on the cultivation of algae in artificial light. Physiologia Pl. 4, 742–753 (1951).
Droop, M. R.: Requirements for thiamine among some marine and supralittoral protista. J. mar. biol. Ass. U.K. 37, 323–329 (1958).
Haldall, P.: Light as a controlling factor. In: Marine biology II, pp 37–83. Ed. by C. H. Oppenheimer. New York: New York Academy of Science 1966.
Kain, J. M. and G. E. Fogg: Studies on the growth of marine phytoplankton. III. Prorocentrum micans Ehrenberg. J. mar. biol. Ass. U.K. 39, 35–50 (1960).
Quraishi, F. O.: The reaction of phytoplankton to different illumination regimes. Ph. D. Thesis, University of Wales 1968.
Sorokin, C. and R. W. Krauss: The effects of light intensity on the growth rates of green algae. Physiologia Pl. 33, 109–113 (1958).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Communicated by J. E. Smith, Plymouth
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Quraishi, F.O., Spencer, C.P. Studies on the growth of some marine unicellular algae under different artificial light sources. Marine Biology 8, 60–65 (1971). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00349346
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00349346