Algal Vegetation Research Articles

Some Marine Algal Communities of Great Cumbrae

A SURVEY of the algal vegetation of a portion of the coast of the island of Great Cumbrae, Firth of Clyde, was carried out during the period March 1935 to March 1937, for comparison with the vegetation of Castletown Bay, Isle of Man, where a survey had already been made (Gibb, 1938). A study of the chief algal communities has been undertaken particularly in regard to their vertical and horizontal distribution and their seasonal changes, The portion of shore selected for detailed examination is situated at the north end of the island (Fig. 1). It extends from a point north-east of Wine Bay to a short distance south-west of Eerie Port (Fig. 2), i.e. a strip of coast-line over 1 mile long. The shore, whilst chiefly rocky, includes several large sandy and pebble-strewn areas. The maximum width is about 300 ft., where the slope is fairly gentle, the steepest parts occurring on either side of Wine Bay and Eerie Port. Levels were obtained throughout the area by observation of the sea-level simultaneously on a tide gauge at Keppel Pier and at certain positions in the survey area itself.

Freshwater Biological Research in the Indian Empire

I HAVE read with deep interest the article by Prof. F. E. Fritsch under the title of “Research in Freshwater Biology and the Functions of a Freshwater Biological Station”, published in NATURE of Feb. 15 (vol. 125, p. 241). Work in this line is imperative in the Indian Empire. Algological research in the Indian Empire is still in its infancy. Investigation into the algal flora of this country is not only valuable for its purely scientific interest but also from a practical point of view, as hinted in Prof. Fritsch's article. So far as my experience goes, this land is very rich in algal vegetation. From a few bottles of algæ collected from the Loktak Lake, Manipur, Assam, by the late Dr. N. Annandale, Dr. Brühl1 and I have discovered as many as forty-three new species of algæ. Most of them were found from a small bottle. In my recent work2 on freshwater algæ of Malayan waters, I have described four species and five new varieties which appear new to science. Previous works on the algal flora of this country such as those of Turner,3 West,4 and N. Carter5 also confirm the prospect of a similar finding of interesting new plants and forms peculiar to the Indian soil and climate.

THE ALGAL VEGETATION OF SOME PONDS ON HAMPSTEAD HEATH

New PhytologistVolume 14, Issue 2-3 p. 63-80 Free Access THE ALGAL VEGETATION OF SOME PONDS ON HAMPSTEAD HEATH E. Marion Delf D.Sc., E. Marion Delf D.Sc.Search for more papers by this author E. Marion Delf D.Sc., E. Marion Delf D.Sc.Search for more papers by this author First published: February 1915 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-8137.1915.tb07174.xCitations: 10AboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditWechat Citing Literature Volume14, Issue2-3February 1915Pages 63-80 RelatedInformation

University and Educational Intelligence

LONDON.—The following advanced courses of lee- tures, to which admission is free, are now being delivered:—A course, with practical work, in dynamical meteorology, at the Meteorological Office, South Kensington, S.W., by Dr. XV. N. Shaw; a course on the Protozoa, at the Lister Institute of Preventive Medicine, Chelsea, S.W., by Prof. E. A. Minchin; a course on metabolism in infancy, at Guys Hospital, Borough, S.E., by Dr. M. S. Pembrey and Mr. J. H. Ryffel; a course on certain aspects of British ecology, at University College, Gower Street, W.C. The remaining lectures of the last-named course are by Prof. R. H. Yapp (fen vegetation), Prof. G. S. West (the occurrence and distribution of fresh-water algæ), and Mr. A. D. Cotton (the algal vegetation of the salt-marsh and seashore).

A general considerations of the subaërial and fresh-water algal flora of Ceylon. A contribution to the study of tropical algal ecology. Part I.—Subaërial algœ and algœ of the inland fresh-waters

During the year 1902 I was occupied with a study of the algal flora in the hot-houses of the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, and certain observations made then seemed scarcely to support the prevalent view of the very close similarity between tropical and temperate algal vegetation. This stimulated me to undertake a personal investigation of some tropical algal flora, and Ceylon was chosen owing to the diversity of climatic conditions which it presents. My objects was rather to study the ecological and biological aspects of the algal vegetation than to make a systematic collection of materials for a flora, and I hope to be able to show that I have been in some measure successful. A careful analysis, as I think the subsequent pages of this paper will show, brings to light very considerable differences between algal growth in the tropics and in our parts, although a certain similarity between freshwater Algæ all over the surface of the earth (considerably greater than in the case of the terrestrial flora) is indisputable. It is, in fact, a natural consequence of the uniform character of the surrounding medium. The island of Ceylon is peculiarly favourable for a study of the influence of tropical temperature and moisture on the distribution of algal growth, since the rainfall varies considerably in different parts of the island, while the mountainous southern portion (attaining a height of 8000 feet and more) produces a very considerable range of temperature, from the intense heat of Colombo and other lowland places to the high-lying Nuwara Eliya, where, at certain times of the year, the thermometer falls to below freezing point at night. In fact, we have here confined in a narrow compass almost all the different possibilities that can be realised in the tropics. It may be well at this point to briefly outline the range of variation in this respect (see also the map). The low country, with it high tropical temperature, shows great diversity in the amount of rainfall; so that some localities are exceptionally wet ( e. g. , Kalutara, Labugama), others (under the prevalent tropical conditions) very dry ( e. g. , Hambantota, Vavoniya), whilst numerous intermediate conditions between the two extremes are found ( e. g. , at Colombo, Matara, etc.); the wettest place I visited was Labugama (166 inches). The amount of rainfall at Peradeniya is not much less than at Colombo, but the lower temperature, due to the higher altitude, has some influence on the algal vegetation. In travelling upward to Nuwara Eliya the gradual change of temperature is very perceptible; the climate in the uplands is indeed practically European, although not so cold in winter, and considerably hotter in the middle of a sunny day (mean annual temperature a little over 60° F). The rainfall, however, is heavy (about 90 inches), and that produces an abundant vegetation. If we further bear in mind that there is coastal and an inland region, we shall have roughly reviewed the diversity of climatic conditions obtaining in the island.