Nitrogen enrichment ameliorates the negative effects of reduced salinity on the green macroalga Enteromorpha intestinalis

Abstract

MEPS Marine Ecology Progress Series Contact the journal Facebook Twitter RSS Mailing List Subscribe to our mailing list via Mailchimp HomeLatest VolumeAbout the JournalEditorsTheme Sections MEPS 218:87-93 (2001) - doi:10.3354/meps218087 Nitrogen enrichment ameliorates the negative effects of reduced salinity on the green macroalga Enteromorpha intestinalis Krista Kamer1,2,*, Peggy Fong1 1Department of Organismic Biology, Ecology and Evolution, University of California Los Angeles, 621 Charles E. Young Drive S., Los Angeles, California 90095-1606, USA 2Southern California Coastal Water Research Project, 7171 Fenwick Lane, Westminster, California 92683, USA *E-mail: kristak@sccwrp.org ABSTRACT: In southern California estuaries, the green macroalga Enteromorpha intestinalis experiences wide fluctuations in both nitrogen (N) supply and salinity. We investigated the effects of simultaneous variation in N and salinity on the growth, biomass accumulation and tissue nutrient dynamics of E. intestinalis. We conducted a fully crossed 2-factor experiment in which we varied N enrichment (low, medium and high) and salinity (15, 25 and 35 psu). Overall, addition of N enhanced algal growth while salinity reduction decreased growth. High N enrichment mitigated the negative effects that reduced salinity had on dry biomass, wet:dry biomass ratios, tissue nutrients and ability to remove phosphorus from the water column. Largely, E. intestinalis abundance was governed by N availability rather than salinity, indicating that blooms of macroalgae will likely continue to proliferate in estuaries unless nutrient loading is reduced. KEY WORDS: Enteromorpha intestinalis · Macroalgae · Nitrogen · Salinity · Estuaries · Southern California Full text in pdf format PreviousNextExport citation RSS - Facebook - Tweet - linkedIn Cited by Published in MEPS Vol. 218. Online publication date: August 20, 2001 Print ISSN: 0171-8630; Online ISSN: 1616-1599 Copyright © 2001 Inter-Research.