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Patterns of tetraspore discharge in Caloglossa and Murrayella (Ceramiales, Rhodophyta)
Author(s) -
McBride Douglas L.,
West John A.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
phycological research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.438
H-Index - 44
eISSN - 1440-1835
pISSN - 1322-0829
DOI - 10.1046/j.1440-1835.1999.00147.x
Subject(s) - biology , darkness , ceramiales , epiphyte , botany , period (music) , spore , ecology , mangrove , algae , physics , acoustics
SUMMARY Caloglossa released tetraspores only during dark periods in contrast to a marked light‐period release exhibited by Murrayella . Both could be readily converted to a reversed light‐dark cycle after a lag period of 1 day. Maximum tetraspore discharge by Caloglossa occurred approximately 4–5 h after the onset of darkness and by Murrayella 4–5 h after the onset of light. Neither 8‐ nor 16–h light periods affected spore release patterns in Caloglossa , while in Murrayella the spore release pattern was briefly disrupted by short day lengths, but recovered after several days. In both genera, the rhythmicity was disrupted in periods of continual darkness or continual light and appeared to be independent of light quality; however, minimum irradiance levels were critical to maintenance of release patterns. Possible mechanisms of tetraspore discharge periodicity are discussed but since both plants typically have a limited habitat as epiphytes on mangrove trunks and pneumatophores, any speculations as to the adaptive advantages of each pattern tend toward mutual contradiction.