Abstract
Various physiological processes of Ulva fasciata were investigated in the laboratory under light intensities of 1500, 2500 and 3500 lux respectively.
It was shown that there is a strong correlation between light intensity and growth rate, which increased with the increase in light intensity up till 2500 lux. Light intensities above 3000 lux resulted in bleaching of the algal thalli.
In no instance there was any discharge of swarmers in total darkness nor at very reduced light intensities of about 100 lux.
Zoospores were always negatively phototactic, while gametes were positively phototactic, appearing always on the well-illuminated sides of the culture bottles.
The maximum yield of total nitrogen, dry weight, and amino acid content coincides with the optimum light intensity. Under such conditions leucine, valine, β-alanine and glutamic acids are found in abundance, while phenyl alanine, γ-aminobutyric and glycine are moderately represented.
The amount of total fat content increases with the increse in light intensity up till 3500 lux. This might refer to a strong correlation between the rate of photosynthesis and the fat synthesis.
It was found that fructose and raffinose were present in negligible amounts under reduced light intensities (1500 lux), while sucrose was found in rather higher quantities. The quantity of glucose is higher than that of fructose and raffinose but much less than that of sucrose under the same light intensity.
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Alexandria University
Kuwait University
Kuwait University
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Mohsen, A.F., Nasr, A.H. & Metwalli, A.M. Effect of different light intensities on growth, reproduction, amino acid synthesis, fat and sugar contents in ulva fasciata delile. Hydrobiologia 43, 125–135 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00014261
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00014261