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Nitrogen uptake and growth of the germlings and mature thalli of Fucus distichus

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Abstract

Fucus distichus L. was collected near Vancouver, Canada, in late fall and early winter, 1981. The effects of the forms of nitrogen (nitrate, ammonium or urea) and periodic exposure to air on growth, rhizoid development and nitrogen uptake in germlings was investigated. Gamete release, fertilization, germination and germling growth had no requirement for a specific form of nitrogen. Periodic exposure to air increased secondary rhizoid development twofold. Nitrate and ammonium uptake rates of the germlings were higher than for the mature thalli (20 to 40 times for nitrate and 8 times for ammonium), while the halfsaturation constant (K s) values for nitrate were similar (1 to 5 μM). The germlings showed saturable uptake kinetics but the mature thalli did not. When germlings were exposed to air it caused a 70% decrease in nitrate uptake, but not change in ammonium uptake. Ammonium uptake in the mature thalli was proportional to the ambient ammonium concentration. Nitrate uptake in the mature thalli appeared to follow saturation kinetics at low nitrate concentrations, but showed a non-saturable component at concentrations greater than 10 μM. Presence of ammonium inhibited nitrate uptake by the mature plants but not by the germlings.

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Author notes

  1. T. E. Thomas

    Present address: Department of Chemistry, Royal Roads Military College, F.M.O., V0S1B0, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Botany and Oceanography, University of British Columbia, V6T 2B1, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

    T. E. Thomas, P. J. Harrison & E. B. Taylor

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  1. T. E. Thomas
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  2. P. J. Harrison
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  3. E. B. Taylor
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Communicated by N. D. Holland, La Jolla

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Thomas, T.E., Harrison, P.J. & Taylor, E.B. Nitrogen uptake and growth of the germlings and mature thalli of Fucus distichus . Mar. Biol. 84, 267–274 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00392496

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