Adenylate concentration and energy charge in different thallus regions and after UV radiation in brown, red and green algae

A method was developed to extract adenine nucleotides AMP, ADP, and ATP from marine macroalgal tissue to gain information on the cellular energy charge. Quantification was carried out by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Three species from the rocky shore of the island of Helgoland (German Bight) were examined: Laminaria saccharina (Phaeophyta), Chondrus crispus (Rhodophyta), and Ulva lactuca (Chlorophyta). In L. saccharina and C. crispus, the adenylate energy charge (AEC) was determined in different thallus regions. AEC varied in relation to tissue age and function. Higher AEC values typically occurred in thallus regions with meristematic activity. Furthermore, L. saccharina and U. lactuca were exposed to UV-A and elevated UV-B radiation. The AEC was calculated and the maximal quantum yield of photosystem II (Fv/Fm) was determined as indicators for UV stress. In both species, the AEC remained at high values (0.72 ± 0.04), while Fv/Fm dropped rapidly. The results show that the photosynthesis of the phaeophyte is more resistant to UV radiation than the chlorophyte.

Data compilation on the biological response to ocean acidification: environmental and experimental context of data sets and related literature

The exponential growth of studies on the biological response to ocean acidification over the last few decades has generated a large amount of data. To facilitate data comparison, a data compilation hosted at the data publisher PANGAEA was initiated in 2008 and is updated on a regular basis (doi:10.1594/PANGAEA.149999). By January 2015, a total of 581 data sets (over 4 000 000 data points) from 539 papers had been archived. Here we present the developments of this data compilation five years since its first description by Nisumaa et al. (2010). Most of study sites from which data archived are still in the Northern Hemisphere and the number of archived data from studies from the Southern Hemisphere and polar oceans are still relatively low. Data from 60 studies that investigated the response of a mix of organisms or natural communities were all added after 2010, indicating a welcomed shift from the study of individual organisms to communities and ecosystems. The initial imbalance of considerably more data archived on calcification and primary production than on other processes has improved. There is also a clear tendency towards more data archived from multifactorial studies after 2010. For easier and more effective access to ocean acidification data, the ocean acidification community is strongly encouraged to contribute to the data archiving effort, and help develop standard vocabularies describing the variables and define best practices for archiving ocean acidification data.

Preliminary investigation into the induction of reproduction in Ulva spp. in Southeast Queensland for mass cultivation purposes

Ulva is a common component of marine intertidal flora in Australia with many species frequently observed along the Queensland coastline. Three species of Ulva, U. lactuca, U. intestinalis and U. prolifera were found to naturally occur at the Bribie Island Research Centre (BIRC) in Southeast Queensland. Studies were undertaken to establish the most optimal conditions for growing Ulva in the BIRC laboratory. These tests were conducted in order to condition the algal material prior to the sporulation studies, offering more controlled material to assess treatment effects conclusively, and helping eliminate other potentially confounding environmental factors. Results showed that a stocking density of between 5-20 grams of Ulva per litre along with the addition of the soluble fertiliser Aquasol at a rate of 87 mg/L of seawater was ideal for achieving a desired doubling of growth per week. In the wild the formation of Ulva fragments occurs naturally in the ocean through wave and storm action. This breakage can trigger a survival response mechanism which stimulates the algae to form and release gametes. By chopping the tissue, this process could be artificially simulated in the laboratory and creating a simple and easy way to produce new individuals. Studies performed into inducing sporulation in Ulva through a combination of fragmentation and renewal of medium at BIRC showed that sporulation can be successfully induced in all three species of Ulva through these methods, however it was found to be to a degree that would not meet the demands of commercial production with on average a rate of only 33% achieved. While the current study did not find a method suitable for a commercial application the results presented here contribute to increasing our understanding about Ulva reproduction and set a platform for future work in to cultivating Ulva within Southeast Queensland.

Two most abundant species of Ulva and Enteromorpha from coast of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

The present paper reports mass occurrence of two algal species Ulva grandis Saifullah and Nizamuddin and Enteromorpha intestinalis (Linnaeus) Link in a protected coastal area in Jeddah, heavily polluted with domestic sewage. They seem to prefer low salinity eutrophic waters for their maximum growth.

Two new species and two new reports of Ulva L. (Ulvophyceae) from the coast of Karachi, Pakistan

Morphology and taxonomy of four species of Ulva i.e. U. anandii Amjad et Shameel sp. nov., U. bifrons Ardre, U. saifullahii Amjad et Shameel sp. nov. and U. taeniata (Setchell) et Gardner were described for the first time from Pakistan. Their anatomy has been investigated in detail and compared with the allied species. A taxonomic comment has been written on U. grandis Saifullah et Nizamuddin.

Comparative haemagglutinic activity in the species of Caulerpa and Ulva (Chlorophyta) of Karachi coast

Aquous extracts of 24 species of green seaweeds, 13 of Caulerpa Lamour and 11 of Ulva Linn, were collected from the coastal areas near Karachi, Pakistan and tested for haemagglutination against human erythrocytes of blood groups A,B,AB and O and compared. All the species of Caulerpa and seven of Ulva exhibited a positive activity, the former genus (a member of Bryopsidophyceae) appeared to possess more phycohaemagglutinins than the latter (a member of Ulvophyceae). The haemagglutinic activity proved to be quite helpful in the distinction of various species of both the genera.

Feeding trials of green seaweed Ulva fasciata

For the nutritional evaluation of green seaweed Ulva fasciata, a feeding trial was performed in albino rats. The results indicated that the 20% replacement of seaweed U. fasciata instead of carrot or lettuce in rad diet causes no harmful effects, as evident by a non-significant change in blood constituents and serum enzyme levels. The weight gain observed in rats with U. fasciata diet was same as that of control diet. The true digestibility ratio of U. fasciata was 80.20% with carrot and 83.4% with lettuce. The data suggest that the green seaweed U. fasciata could be used as an alternative dietary component in animal fodder.

Allelopathic interactions between the macroalga Ulva pertusa and eight microalgal species

HETEROSIGMA-AKASHIWO RAPHIDOPHYCEAE; CENTRAL VENICE LAGOON; ALEXANDRIUM-TAMARENSE; RED-TIDE; COASTAL LAGOONS; PHYTOPLANKTON; GROWTH; BAY; DINOFLAGELLATE; COMPETITION

Ulva diversity in the Yellow Sea during the large-scale green algal blooms in 2008-2009

P>In the Yellow Sea of China, large-scale green tides have broken out for three consecutive years from 2007 to 2009. As part of the efforts to localize the algal source, two cruises were conducted in the early stage and the outbreak stage of the bloom in 2009. We analyzed the morphological and genetic diversity of drifting Ulva specimens and culture-derived isolates from seawater sampled in different localities. For phylogenetic analyses, the nuclear encoded ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer region (ITS nrDNA) and the plastid encoded large subunit of ribulose-1, 5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxgenase gene (rbcL) were used. Our molecular and morphological data indicate that the dominant free-floating Ulva species in 2008 and 2009 possibly belonged to a single strain of the U. linza-procera-prolifera (LPP) clade. The ITS sequences from bloom-forming algal samples with dense branches were identical to those from U. linza-like specimens without branches derived from the Yellow Sea. Microscopic individuals of the dominant Ulva strain were detected in eight stations, revealing that spore dispersal in the water helped to enlarge biomass in the water during the outbreak stage of green tide in the Yellow Sea.