New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research abstracts

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Colonisation and growth of epiphytic algal communities on Potamogeton perfoliatus under two different light regimes

Munira Sultana
Takashi Asaeda†
Jagath Manatunge
Abdurahman Ablimit

Department of Environmental Science and Human Engineering
Saitama University
255 Shimo-okubo
Saitama-shi, Saitama
Japan 338-8570
email: asaeda@post.saitama-u.ac.jp

†Author for correspondence.

Abstract  The composition and distribution of epiphytic algae on Potamogeton perfoliatus were studied in a controlled laboratory environment over 84 days under two light conditions. The study was based on a 2 x 2 factorial design with two light conditions (high and low, 200 and 80 μE m^-2 s^-1) and two different plant parts (apical and basal). In both light conditions, the community consisted of 18 taxa (under nine genera) of Bacillariophyceae. Amphora lineolata, Cocconeis placentula, and Diatoma hiemale were the most common and abundant species. The total algal density was significantly higher in the high light condition and on the basal plant part than in the low light condition and on the apical plant part. At termination of the experiment, basal plant parts exhibited a more uniform crust of epiphytic algae consisting of c. 95% C. placentula whereas the apical plant parts expressed a more mosaic community (under both light conditions).

Keywords  algal density; community; species richness; abundance

M03060; Received 22 September 2003; accepted 16 February 2004; Online publication date 5 August 2004
New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research, 2004, Vol. 38: 585-594 0028-8330/04/3804-0585 © The Royal Society of New Zealand 2004

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