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INFLUENCE OF SALINITY ON THE FORM OF ASTEROCYTIS IN PURE CULTURE 1
Author(s) -
Lewin Ralph A.,
Robertson Jack A.
Publication year - 1971
Publication title -
journal of phycology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.85
H-Index - 127
eISSN - 1529-8817
pISSN - 0022-3646
DOI - 10.1111/j.1529-8817.1971.tb01508.x
Subject(s) - seawater , biology , salinity , genus , osmotic concentration , artificial seawater , botany , ecology , biochemistry
SUMMARY The growth form of an isolate of Asterocytis ornata in pure culture changed from filamentous in a full‐strength seawater medium to a unicellular or bicellular form closely resembling the genus Chroothece in a medium of quarter‐strength seawater. The alga did not grow in media of lower salinities, or in media in which seawater was replaced by KCl, NaCl, or CaCl 2 . The formation of filaments from single cells could not be attributed to osmolarity. The controlling factors seemed to be the concentrations of cations, notably Na + and Mg ++ . However, the filaments produced experimentally in a defined medium, were never as extensively developed as those occurring in seawater, an indication that further studies should be done. The occurrence of the Asterocytis form, in freshwater habitats remains to be explained. There may be distinct physiological races, if not true species, within the genus.