Effect of salinity on growth and nutrient uptake of Ulva pertusa (Chlorophyta) from an eelgrass bed

Abstract

The effects of salinity on various ecophysiological parameters of Ulva pertusa such as growth, nutrient uptake, photosynthetic performance and internal nutrient composition were tested. U. pertusa was collected from an eelgrass bed in a semi-protected embayment on the southwest coast of Korea. Under salinity regimes from 5 to 40 psu, the specific growth rates (µ) of U. pertusa ranged from 0.019 to 0.032 d -1 . Maximum growth rate was observed at 20 psu, and minimum at 40 psu. This species showed various uptake rates for nitrate and phosphate. Nutrient uptake was noticeably higher at intermediate salinity levels, and lower at both extremes. Salinity significantly influenced chlorophyll-a content and effective quantum yield. Tissue nitrogen content ranged from 1.5 to 2.9% N (dry weight), whereas tissue phosphorus ranged from 0.1 to 0.14% P (dry weight). The N : P ratio in the tissue of U. pertusa was considerably higher, ranging from 30 to 50. Increased growth at lower salinity suggests that the initial growth rate of U. pertusa is greater during the rainy season (i.e., late spring and early summer) than any other season during the year. The appearance of an Ulva bloom in eelgrass beds may be triggered by salinity more than by other environmental factors such as light and temperature.