Physiological Ecology of Four Species of Polysiphonia
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University of New Hampshire University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository Doctoral Dissertations Student Scholarship Summer 1973 PHYSIOLOGICAL ECOLOGY OF FOUR SPECIES OF POLYSIPHONIA RICHARD A. FRALICK Follow this and additional works at: https://scholars.unh.edu/dissertation Recommended Citation FRALICK, RICHARD A., "PHYSIOLOGICAL ECOLOGY OF FOUR SPECIES OF POLYSIPHONIA" (1973). Doctoral Dissertations. 1031. https://scholars.unh.edu/dissertation/1031 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Student Scholarship at University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Doctoral Dissertations by an authorized administrator of University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. INFORMATION TO USERS This material was produced from a microfilm copy of the original document. 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Xerox University Microfilms 300 North Zeeb Road Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106 74-7026 FRALICK, Richard A., 1937- PHYSIOLOGICAL ECOLOGY OF FOUR SPECIES OF POLYSIPHONIA. University of New Hampshire, Ph.D., 1973 Botany S University Microfilms. A XEROX Company, Ann Arbor, Michigan THIS DISSERTATION HAS BEEN MICROFILMED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED. PHYSIOLOGICAL ECOLOGY OF FOUR SPECIES OF POLYSIPHONIA by. RICHARD A. FRALICK B. A. SALEM STATE COLLEGE, SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS, 1967 M. S. UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, DURHAM, NEW HAMPSHIRE 1970 A DISSERTATION Submitted to the University of New Hampshire In Partial Fulfillment of The requirements fo r the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Graduate School Department of Botany July, 1973 This thesis has been examined and approved. Arthur C. Mathieson, Thesis Director Associate Professor Robert A^ Croker, Associate Professor dbion R. Hodgdon, / Professor of Botany ffiign F.F. Mulligan,Mulligan, *jgn Associate Professor c (tiordJ Qolure e, Richardti chard W. Scnreiber, Professor of Botany Ruth D. Turner, Alexander Agassiz Fellow in Zoology and Oceanography July 24, 1973 Date ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I wish to thank the following people who assisted me in this project: Dr. Arthur C. Mathieson fo r his stimulation and encouragement throughout this study and for his valuable assistance in the preparation of this dissertation; Dr. Albion R. Hodgdon, Dr. H. F. Mulligan, Dr. Richard W. Schreiber, Dr. Robert A. Croker, and Dr. Ruth D. Turner fo r th e ir valuable suggestions during the research and fo r th e ir diligent review of the manuscript; Stanley A. Riggs for his invaluable assistance in the fie ld ; Barry Hutchinson fo r his assistance with the figures; n\y wife Katy for her assistance with the maps, illustrations and fo r her overall enthusiasm throughout the entire period of the study. Special thanks must also go to my fellow divers especially Kenneth W. Turgeon, Barry Hutchinson as well as Dr. A. C. Mathieson. In addition I would lik e to thank the s ta ff of the Jackson Estuarine Laboratory, University of New Hampshire and in particular Mr. Donald Burnett and Ruth Jeralds. The Graduate School, University of New Hampshire must also be acknowledged fo r financial support in the form of a summer fellowship (1972) and a dissertation fellowship during my final semester (1973). I also thank Patricia Neff and the entire faculty and s ta ff of the Botany Department for th e ir support and encouragement in many ways. H i TABLE OF CONTENTS • LIST OF FIGURES............................ v LIST OF TABLES .............................................................................................. v11 ABSTRACT......................................................................................................... v111 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................. 1 METHODS AND MATERIALS ............................................................................... 3 HYDROGRAPHIC REGIMES IN THE GREAT BAY ESTUARY SYSTEM .......................... 7 DISTRIBUTION AND ABUNDANCE OF POLYSIPHONIA SPECIES ............................. 17 MANOMETRIC STUDIES ....................................................................................... 22 Light Intensities ............................................................................ 22 Temperature.......................................................................................22 S a lin it ie s.......................................................................................31 DISCUSSION......................................................................................................... 43 REFERENCES.........................................................................................................48 APPENDIX.............................................................................................................54 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1. Map of the Great Bay Estuary System showing the eight study stations.................................................................... 5 Figure 2. Variation in surface water temperature between June, 1971 and December, 1972 at stations 1, 4, and 7 ..............................................................................................9 Figure 3. Variation in surface water salinity between June, 1971 and December, 1972 at stations 1, 4, and 7 ........................................................................................... Figure 4. Diurnal variation in temperature at stations 1, 4, 7, and 8 on July 14 and 15, 1971......................................13 Figure 5. Diurnal variation 1n s a lin ity at stations 1, 4, 7 and 8 on July 14 and 15, 1971.................................... .15 Figure 6. Zonation and immersion curve for Polysiphonia lanosa, Ascophyllum nodosum and Fucus vesiculosis at station 1. .................................................................. 19 Figure 7. Apparent photosynthesis of Polysiphonia lanosa and Polysiphonia subtilissima at different light intensities .................................................................................34 Figure 8. Apparent photosynthesis of Polysiphonia elongata and P. nigrescens at d iffe re n t lig h t in te n sitie s ..................26 Figure 9. Apparent photosynthesis of Polysiphonia lanosa and £. elongata at various temperatures and 1000 foot-candles ......................................................................28 Figure 10. Apparent photosynthesis of Polysiphonia nigrescens and £. subtilissima at various temperatures and 1000 foot-candles . .................................................................. 30 Figure 11. Respiration of Polsiphonia lanosa and P. elongata at various temperatures...........................................................33 Figure 12. Respiration of Polysiphonia nigrescens and £. subtilissima at various temperatures................................ 35 Figure 13. Apparent photosynthesis of Polysiphonia lanosa and P. elongata at different salinities, 1000 foot-candles and 5 and 15 C............................................................................. 37 Figure 14. Apparent photosynthesis of Polysiphonia nigrescens and P. subtilissima at different temperatures, salinities and 1000 foot-candles.............................................40 Figure 15. Respiration of Polysiphonia lanosa and f \ elongata at various temperatures and s a lin itie.............................. s 42 vi LIST OF TABLES Table I. Surface water temperatures at eight stations between June 1971 and December 1972................................ 51 Table I I . Surface water s a lin itie s at eight stations between June 1971 and December 1972................................ 52 Table I I I . The local distribution and abundance of four species of Polysiphonia. ..................................................