Abstract
Oxygen evolution and uptake by whole thalli of the large marine alga Laminaria longicruris de la Pylaie were measured for 24 h, once every 2 weeks for a year, using large chambers to incubate the plants on the sea bed. Diel rates of photosynthesis and respiration were calculated from these measurements and continuous light measurements were used to extrapolate the data between observation dates. The resulting estimates were combined with measurements of growth and carbon content to give an annual carbon budget for a typical mature plant. Annual net assimilation was 6.8 mgC per cm2 of frond surface (71 cal cm-2). Approximately 45% of this appeared in the production of new frond tissue, and a further 12% was accounted for by storage of carbon in mature frond tissue. About 8% was needed for stipe growth, and the remaining 35% was assumed to be lost as dissolved organic carbon. Diel net photosynthetic rates reached a maximum in June and July and were negative only in November, indicating an ability to produce a photosynthetic surplus throughout winter. In early winter the plants drew on stored reserves to supplement photosynthesis in providing carbon for growth, but from January onwards photosynthesis provided more than enough carbon for growth.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
Literature Cited
Black, W.A.P.: Seasonal variation in weight and chemical composition of the common British Laminariaceae. J. mar. biol. Ass. U.K. 29, 45–72 (1950)
Brown, D.L. and E.B. Tregunna: Inhibition of respiration during photosynthesis by some algae. Can. J. Bot. 45, 1135–1143 (1967)
Carritt, D.E. and J.H. Carpenter: Comparison and evaluation of currently employed modifications of the Winkler method for determining dissolved oxygen in seawater; a NASCO report. J. mar. Res. 24, 286–312 (1972)
Chapman, A.R.O. and E.M. Burrows: Field and culture studies of Desmarestia aculeata (L.) Lamour. Phycologia 10, 63–76 (1971)
— and J.S. Craigie: Seasonal growth in Laminaria longicruris: relations with dissolved inorganic nutrients and internal reserves of nitrogen. Mar. Biol. 40, 197–205 (1977)
—, B. Hoyt and B.E. Paton: A self-contained instrument for logarithmic recording of submarine quantum irradiance. Mar. Biol. 38, 91–94 (1976)
Cooke, R.: Phase phenomena in the calcite-seawater system. Brookhaven Symp. Biol. 24, 191–203 (1972)
Hatcher, B.G.: An apparatus for measuring photosynthesis and respiration of intact large marine algae and comparison of results with those from experiments with tissue segments. Mar. Biol. 43, 381–385 (1977)
Hess, J.L., N.E. Tolbert and L.M. Pike: Glycolate biosynthesis by Scenedesmus and Chlorella in the presence or absence of NaHCO3. Planta 74, 278–285 (1967)
Kanwisher, J.W.: Photosynthesis and respiration in some seaweeds. In: Some contemporary studies in marine science, pp 407–420. Ed. by H. Barnes. London: George Allen & Unwin Ltd. 1966
Lambert, M. and A.C. Neish: Rapid method for glycerol in fermentation solutions. Can. J. Res. 28B, 83–89 (1950)
Lampe, H.: Die Temperatureinstellung des Stoffgewinns bei Meeresalgen als plasmatische Anpassung. Protoplasma 23, 534–578 (1935)
Larkum, A.W.D.: Frond structure and growth in Laminaria hyperborea. J. mar. biol. Ass. U.K. 52, 405–418 (1972)
Lüning, K.: Seasonal growth of Laminaria hyperborea under recorded underwater light conditions near Helgoland. In: Proceedings of the Fourth European Marine Biology Symposium, pp 347–361. Ed. by D.S. Crisp. Cambridge: University Press 1971
—, K. Schmitz and J. Willenbrink: CO2 fixation and translocation in benthic marine algae. III. Rates and ecological significance of translocation in Laminaria hyperborea and L. saccharina. Mar. Biol. 23, 275–281 (1973)
Mann, K.H.: Ecological energetics of the seaweed zone in a marine bay on the Atlantic coast of Canada. II. Productivity of the seaweeds. Mar. Biol. 14, 199–209 (1972)
Moebus, K. and K.M. Johnson: Exudation of dissolved organic carbon by brown algae. Mar. Biol. 26, 117–125 (1974)
Montford, C.: Zeitphasen der Temperatur-Einstellung und jahreszeitliche Umstellungen bei Meeresalgen. Ber. dt. bot. Ges. 53, 651–674 (1935)
Orth, G.M., N.E. Tolbert and E. Simenez: Rate of glycolate formation during photosynthesis at high pH. Pl. Physiol., Lancaster 44, 55–59 (1966)
Parke, M.: Studies on the British Laminariaceae. I. Growth in Laminaria saccharina (L.) Lamour. J. mar. biol. Ass. U.K. 27, 651–709 (1948)
Robbins, J.V.: The photosynthetic and respiratory physiology of Palmaria palmata (L.) Stackhouse, as affected by temperature, irradiance, total carbon dioxide, salinity and pH, 87 pp. M.Sc. Thesis, Dalhousie University 1976
Sieburth, J. McN.: Studies on algal substances in the sea, III. The production of extracellular organic matter by littoral marine algae. J. exp. mar. Biol. Ecol. 3, 290–309 (1969)
Strickland, J.D.H. and T. Parsons: A practical handbook of seawater analysis, rev. ed. Bull. Fish. Res. Bd Can. 167, 1–311 (1972)
Suto, S.: On the growth of “buds” in Hijikia fusiforme. Bull. Jap. Soc. scient. Fish. 17, 13–14 (1951)
Talling, J.F.: Photosynthetic characteristics of some freshwater plankton diatoms in relation to underwater illumination. New Phytol. 56, 29–50 (1957)
Tolbert, N.E.: Photorespiration. Bot. Monogr. 10, 474–505 (1974)
Warburg, O. und G. Krippahl: Glycolsäurebildung in Chlorella. Z. Naturf. 156, 197–200 (1960)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Communicated by T.R. Parsons, Vancouver
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Hatcher, B.G., Chapman, A.R.O. & Mann, K.H. An annual carbon budget for the kelp Laminaria longicruris . Mar. Biol. 44, 85–96 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00386909
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00386909