Variations of New England Estuarine Seaweed Biomass

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Abstract
Seasonal and spatial biomass variations of estuarine intertidal macrophytes were recorded for 15 consecutive months at Cedar Point, Little Bay, New Hampshire, USA. A typical seasonal cycle was recorded with maximum summer biomass (136-168 g dry weight 0.1 m-2) and minimum winter values (34-48 g dry weight 0.1 m-2), due to extensive ice scouring. A summary of temporal and spatial biomass variations of 5 Rhodophyceae, 8 Chlorophyceae and 7 Phaeophyceae [Polysiphonia harveyi, Chorda tomentosa, Cladophora sericea, Ulothrix flacca, Monostroma grevillei, Ceramium rubrum, Urospora penicilliformis, Porphyra umbilicalis, Gigartina stellata, Chaetomorpha linum, Ectocarpus siliculosus, Rhizoclonium riparium, Pilayella littoralis, Petalonia fascia, Chondrus crispus, Enteromorpha spp., Ulva lactuca, Fucus vesiculosus, Ascophyllum nodosum, A. nodosum ecad scorpioides] is given. The stratified vertical distribution of Ascophyllum nodosum and its unattached ecad scorpioides are described in detail. A. nodosum, the unattached ecad scorpioides and Fucus vesiculosus var. spiralis contributed 98.2-99.9% (.hivin.x = 98.3%) of the macrophytic plant biomass during each of the 15 mo. The species richness and productivity of seaweeds at Cedar Point are interpreted in relation to a variety of environmental parameters.