Abstract
Two intertidal basins in southern England, Portsmouth Harbour and Langstone Harbour, both support large crops of the macroalgae Ulva and Enteromorpha each summer. Both harbours have received discharges of sewage but the discharge in Portsmouth has been removed. Data from surveys of algal distribution, standing biomass, tissue nutrient concentration and water column nutrient concentration have been evaluated in order to determine the relationship between effluent discharge and macroalgal growth. No direct relationship between water column nutrient concentration and macroalgae biomass or area cover was found in the field. Concentrations of Nitrogen and Nitrogen: Phosphorus ratio in the tissue suggest that Nitrogen is stored in excess during the growing season. It is concluded that the evidence strongly indicates that further increases in sewage derived nutrient will not result in higher standing crops of algae than currently observed.
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