British Marine Life 
Study Society

Seaweed Page

Macroalgae and phytoplankton from around the British Isles


 

Algae Homepage (Univ. of Galway)
Algae Homepage (Univ. of Galway) (Latest URL in September 1999)
Algae-L (EForum)
AKVARISTEN (Text in Norwegian, pictures of algae in aquaria)
AZP Toxin
British Phycological Society
Harmful Algal Blooms
Pressing Seaweeds Page
Revised Checklist of British Marine Algae (Acrobat format file)
Search for a Seaweed (scientific names only)
Seaweeds (Books)
Seaweeds (Links to other sites)
Smart Groups Marine Algae of the NE Atlantic Portfolio
Sussex Seaweed Project
 

These URLS keep changing


Seaweeds in an English tidepool


Wakame

The alien seaweed Japanese Kelp, or Wakame, Undaria pinnatifida, was discovered by Dr Bob Fletcher (University of Portsmouth) on pontoons in Southampton water in the summer of 1996. This Japanese seaweed was first found at Sète on the Mediterranean coast and then later on the French side of the English Channel until 1996 when it was discovered at various places on the English side.

The seaweeds are fertile and there is no reason why it will fail to establish itself as an addition to the British marine fauna. The alga is one of the brown kelps similar to the Dabberlocks, Alaria esculenta. (Report in the Vernal/Summer 1997 Glaucus).



Seaweeds attached to the wharves

Japweed

The alien Japweed, Sargassum muticum, is found all along the English Channel, and has been around since the 1960s.


Phaeocystis

Phaeocystis is a minute organism which can reproduce in enormous numbers, and is an example of the phytoplankton. Phaeocystis 'blooms' are called by names like Slurry Water and Baccy Juice, and are an annual occurrence off the Sussex and Kent coasts in May and June. Blooms are also found of other coasts including the coast of Cornwall. The Sussex species is Phaeocystis pouchetti.

During the day the phytoplankton photosynthesise and reproduce, the phenomenon called 'blooming'. The greatest 'blooming' occurs in the brightest sunlight is associated with hot weather and higher sea temperatures.

Photosynthesis of the phytoplankton produces oxygen, which can supersaturate the surface waters of the sea, However, at the later stages of the phytoplankton blooms the nutrients they need are exhausted and the algae die and sink to the bottom where they decay, a process which uses up oxygen and creates hypoxic conditions (a deficiency of dissolved oxygen). There are many records of plankton blooms causing mass mortalities of benthic fauna.
e.g. Mass Mortality of the Heart Urchin.

Phaeocystis is a prymnesiophyte flagellate that reproduces by fission at a phenomenal rate and forms large colonies about 1 mm in diameter. It exudes the sulphur compound Dimethyl sulphide (DMS ) which raises local levels in the atmosphere.



 

Cladophora

The seaweed Cladophora rupestris is a widespread algae invariably growing on the brown wrack Serratus fucatus where is grazed by the Flat Periwinkle, Littorina mariae.

A Rock Goby, Gobius paganellus, in aquaria, poking its head out of a rock strewn with the filamentous algae Cladophora which spreads by its rhizoidal base.


Red Tide: in Killary fjord, southern Ireland, the plankton bloom in the late summer affects the local mussel harvest but causes no damage to the salmon farm. Peter Biddulph.


Algae:
New Scientific Names

Changing scientific names are always a bit of nuisance to Editors. It is understandable when it is because of new scientific research, but is less appealing when the change occurs in the literature applying the rules of precedent over the names. This is the reason why some of the  very common British seaweeds are now known by different names. In the family Gigartinaceae, the common and well known Gigartina stellata has now been given the name of Mastocarpus stellatus. The Pepper Dulse, known as Laurencia pinnatifida is now called Osmundea pinnatifida.


Botanica Marina takes papers on all marine plants, phytoplankton, seaweeds, fungi, seagrasses and even marine
bacteria.

Dr  Gerald T. Boalch, F.I. Biol.,
Editor-in-Chief,
BOTANICA MARINA,
The Laboratory,
Citadel Hill,
Plymouth PL1  2PB,
U.K.

EMail  gtb@ mba.ac uk


http://seaweed.nuigalway.ie/

Algae-L is a discussion list on any aspect of freshwater, marine and
terrestrial algae, including seaweeds.

Archives of past messages can be found at:

http://listserv.heanet.ie/algae-l

Other information regarding the list can be found at

http://seaweed.nuigalway.ie/algae-l/default.html


Algae (Adur Estuary) List
Algae (Widewater Lagoon) List

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