Abstract
Gelidium sesquipedale, the most important raw material for the extraction of Spanish agar, was studied ecophysiologically. Plant material came from a stressed intertidal system of high temperatures and high photon fluences. The plants were photoresistant and showed saturation of photosynthesis near a PFD of 300 µlimo’ m -2 s -1and a compensation point under 100 µmol m-2 s -1. Temperature and irradiance have a synergistic effect on photosynthesis. Pigment concentration decreased with irradiance except in the case of carotenes. Carbon and nitrogen were maximal at maximal photosynthetic rates, and the C: N ratio increased with increasing irradiances together with increases in cell-wall polysaccharides.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsPreview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Algarra, P. & F. X. Niell, 1987. Structural adaptations to light reception in two morphotypes of Corallina elongata Ellis et Soland. Mar. Ecol. 8: 253–261.
Aranda, J., F. X. Niell & J. A. Fernandez, 1984. Production of Asparagopsis armata (Harvey) in a thermally-stressed intertidal system of low tidal amplitude. J. exp. mar. Biol. Ecol. 84: 285–295.
Chapman, V. J., 1966. The physiological ecology of some New Zealand seaweeds. Proc. Int. Seaweed Symp. 5: 29–54.
Establier, R., 1964. Variación estacional de la composicion quìmica, extracción y caracteristicas del agar-agar de algunas algas (genero Gelidium) de la costa sudatlântica española. Inv. Pesq. 26: 165–194.
Frederiksen, S. & J. Rueness, 1989. Culture studies of Gelidium latifolium (Grey.) Born. et Thur. (Rhodophyta) from Norway. Growth and nitrogen storage in response to varying photon flux density, temperature and nitrogen availability. Bot. mar. 32: 539–546.
Jimenez, C. & F. X. Niell. Influence of temperature and salinity on carbon and nitrogen content in Dunaliella viridis Teodoresco under nitrogen sufficiency. Biomass (in press).
Kanwisher, 1966. Photosynthesis and respiration in some seaweeds. In: Barnes H. (ed), Some Contemporary Studies in Marine Science. George Allen + Unwin Ltd., London, pp. 407–420.
Kursar, T. A. & R. S. Alberte, 1983. Photosynthetic unit organization in a red alga. Relationships between light harvesting pigments and reaction centers. Plant Physiol. 72: 409–414.
Macler, B. A., 1986. Regulation of carbon flow by nitrogen and light in the red algae Gelidium coulteri. Plant Physiol. 82: 136–141.
Niell, F. X., 1976. C: N ratio in some marine macrophytes and its possible ecological significance. Bot. mar. 19: 347–350.
Niell, F. X., M. Espejo, J. A. Fernandez & P. Algarra, 1989. Performances and use of energy in intertidal systems related to random disturbance and thermal stress. Scient. mar., 53: 293–299.
O’Carra, P., O’Heocha, 1976. Algal biliproteins and phycobilins. In: Goodwin, T. W. (ed). Chemistry and Biochemistry of Plant Pigments. Academic Press. London. 270 pp.
Ogata, E. & T. Matsui, 1965. Photosynthesis in several marine plants of Japan as affected by salinity, drying and pH with attention to their growth habitats. Bot. mar. 8: 199–217.
Poole, R. W., 1974. An Introduction to Quantitative Ecology. McGraw-Hill Kogakusha. Ltd. (eds) Tokyo. 518 pp.
Rosenberg, G., 1981. Ecological Growth Strategies in the Seaweeds Gracilaria foliiera (Rhodophyceae) and Ulva sp. (Chlorophyceae) PhD. Thesis, Yale University, New Haven, CT. 151 pp.
Santos, G. A. & M. S. Doty, 1983. Agar from some Hawaiian red algae. Aquat. Bot. 16: 385–389.
Seoane-Camba, J., 1965. Estudios sobre las algas bentonicas en la costa sur de la Peninsula Ibérica (litoral de Cadiz). Inc Pesq 29: 3–216.
Sokal, R. R. & F. J. Rohlf, 1969. Biometry. The Principles and Practice of Statistics in Biological Research. W. H. Freeman & Co., San Francisco. 776 pp.
Strickland, J. D. H. & T. R. Parsons, 1968. A Practical Handbook of Seawater Analysis. Fish. Res. Bd Can. Bulletin no. 167, Ottawa.
Talling, J. F. & D. Driver, 1963. Some problems in the estimation of chlorophyll in phytoplankton. Proceedings of Conference of Primary Productivities Measurement. Marine & Freshwater. Honolulu. Hawaii USA. Atomic Energy. 7633: 142–166.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1991 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht
About this paper
Cite this paper
Torres, M., Niell, F.X., Algarra, P. (1991). Photosynthesis of Gelidium sesquipedale: effects of temperature and light on pigment concentration, C/N ratio and cell-wall polysaccharides. In: Juanes, J.A., Santelices, B., McLachlan, J.L. (eds) International Workshop on Gelidium . Developments in Hydrobiology, vol 68. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-3610-5_7
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-3610-5_7
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-94-010-5601-4
Online ISBN: 978-94-011-3610-5
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive