Salinity and temperature effects on the growth and chlorophyll-a content of some planktonic algae

• Published in: Boletim do Instituto Oceanográfico Vol. 41; no. 1/2; pp. 95 - 103
• Main Authors: Sigaud, TCS, Aidar, E
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01.01.1993
• Subjects: Chaetoceros; Marine; Phaeodactylum tricornutum; Tetraselmis gracilis
• ISSN: 0373-5524

The effect of salinity (0-40 ppt) and temperature (11-36 degree C, at 5 degree C intervals) variations on maximum growth rate (div/d), maximum yield (log sub(10) cell number) and chlorophyll-a content (pg/cell) of four planktonic algae was examined under laboratory conditions. Phaeodactylum tricornutum grew over the entire range of experimental salinities, at 11-26 degree C. The highest maximum growth rates (1.6 div/d) occurred between 9-30 ppt and 16-26 degree C. Optimum salinity range for maximum yield (7.0) was found at 9-35 ppt, under 16 degree C. Tetraselmis gracilis reproduced from 4 to 40 ppt at 11-31 degree C, with the highest values of maximum growth rate (1.6 div/d) and maximum yield (6.1) occurring at salinities between 14-40 ppt at 11-21 degree C and 11-16 degree C, respectively. Minutocellus polymorphus and Chaetoceros sp grew between 9-40 ppt and 11-31 degree C. Their highest maximum growth rates (2.1 and 2.6 div/d, respectively) were found at 31 degree C, between 20-35 ppt and 20-40 ppt, respectively. The highest maximum yields for M. polymorphus (7.2) were recorded between 16-21 degree C at 20-40 ppt and for Chaetoceros sp (6.8), between 25-40 ppt at 16-31 degree C. Chlorophyll-a content per cell was not conspicuously associated to temperature and salinity for the four species. At low salinity extremes, when cell division was inhibited, an increase in the amount of chlorophyll-a per cell was detected.