Buoyancy potential of dominant green macroalgal species in the Yellow Sea's green tides, China. (March 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Fu, Mingzhu; Fan, Shiliang; Wang, Zongling; Song, Wei; Sun, Kaiming; Han, Hongbin; Xiao, Jie; Shen, Songdong
• Is Part Of: Marine pollution bulletin. Volume 140(2019)
• Page Start: 301
• Page End: 307
• Publication Date: 2019-03
• Subjects: Ulva prolifera -- Buoyancy capacity -- Green tide -- Yellow Sea -- Influencing factors; Marine pollution -- Periodicals; Marine Biology -- Periodicals; Water Pollution -- Periodicals; Mer -- Pollution -- Périodiques; Publications périodiques; Pollution des mers; Lutte antipollution; Electronic journals; 363.7394
• DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2019.01.056
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0025-326X

Abstract

Abstract: Large-scale green tides caused by Ulva prolifera, occurred for 12 consecutive years in the Yellow Sea of China. To resolve the abrupt shift in species composition between attached and floating macroalgal assemblages, field experiments were conducted from May to July 2017 to quantify the net buoyancy force and compare the floating potential of the common green macroalgae from the red algal seaweed Pyropia yezoensis rafts. At the same time, U . prolifera from different sampling locations were tested to study variable buoyancy of this species and the associated influencing factors. Our results illustrated a stronger positive buoyant force and a proportionally greater buoyancy capacity of U . prolifera, compared to the other co-occurring species. Buoyancy is a dynamic trait and is closely correlated with light intensity, morphology and physiological status. The positive buoyancy of U . prolifera is an important factor that helps explain its predominance in the Yellow Sea's large-scale green tides. Highlights: U . prolifera has a stronger buoyant force relative to other co-occurring green algae. Buoyancy is closely correlated with irradiance, morphology and physiological status. U . prolifera 's buoyancy helps explain its dominance in the Yellow Sea's green tides.