Growth, external morphology and reproductive phenology of a southern Adriatic population of Pterocladiella capillacea from a marine cave were investigated. Production of new uprights from creeping axes was limited to late autumn-winter; upright growth in length and branching order increase reached their maxima in late summer. Tetrasporic fronds were dominant from June to September, with a peak in July, while cystocarpic uprights were rather rare and recorded in August only. Two stable, distinct morphotypes occurred in this population at two sampling sites exposed to different daily photon irradiances. Uprights from the more illuminated site were regularly pinnate, with numerous closely packed lateral branches, representing the best-known phenotype of the species; in contrast, uprights from the more shaded inner site had very long and narrow axes, greater intervals between first-order branches and lower branching order. Statistical analysis demonstrated that upright growth in length and branching was significantly different at the two sites; upright biomass in the more illuminated site was generally higher because of the higher orders of branching.

Growth and reproductive phenology of Pterocladiella capillacea (Rhodophyta: Gelidiales) from the southern Adriatic Sea

BOTTALICO, ANTONELLA;FANELLI, Margherita
2008-01-01

Abstract

Growth, external morphology and reproductive phenology of a southern Adriatic population of Pterocladiella capillacea from a marine cave were investigated. Production of new uprights from creeping axes was limited to late autumn-winter; upright growth in length and branching order increase reached their maxima in late summer. Tetrasporic fronds were dominant from June to September, with a peak in July, while cystocarpic uprights were rather rare and recorded in August only. Two stable, distinct morphotypes occurred in this population at two sampling sites exposed to different daily photon irradiances. Uprights from the more illuminated site were regularly pinnate, with numerous closely packed lateral branches, representing the best-known phenotype of the species; in contrast, uprights from the more shaded inner site had very long and narrow axes, greater intervals between first-order branches and lower branching order. Statistical analysis demonstrated that upright growth in length and branching was significantly different at the two sites; upright biomass in the more illuminated site was generally higher because of the higher orders of branching.
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11586/127226
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