Laboratory Growth Studies on Sargassum muticum (Yendo) Fensholt I. Seasonal Growth of Whole Plants and Lateral Sections

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Plants of the brown alga, S. muticum, were collected at intervals during part of 1 growth season. These were cultured as intact plants, or removed lateral portions, under laboratory conditions corresponding to early summer. Elongation was observed throughout almost the entire plant thallus. The more distal the region, the greater the increase relative to its initial size. Both total growth and maximum rate diminished as the season progressed with late summer collected plants showing virtually zero growth in the laboratory. Similar sized secondary later apices from different positions on the primary lateral behaved identically in culture although differences ascribable to position could be observed for intact laterals. Increase in length and wet weight followed a Gompertzian curve, particularly so for winter/spring collected material.