Mass blooms of the alga Cladophora in Bermuda

Characterization of a large-scale ephemeral bloom of the green alga Cladophora sericea on the coral reefs of West Maui, Hawai’i

“…Schramm & Booth (1981) suggested that excessive growth of C. prolifera was not the result of nutrient enrichment per se but was due to its competitive advantages, namely the ability to tolerate H 2 S and anaerobic conditions. Many other studies indicate that the blooms result from enhanced growth due to nutrient-enriched groundwater; it has also been suggested that the alga may be a cryptic non-indigenous species (Bach & Josselyn 1978, 1979, Lapointe & O'Connell 1989. In general, these studies lack more direct links between groundwater and algal abundance such as stable isotope analysis or other indicator nutrients such as silicate and/or salinity levels.…”

“…In the tropics, specifically on the reefs around Bermuda, C. prolifera has formed nuisance blooms for several decades, but these are generally persistent and occur in protected, shallow, nearshore environments (Bach & Josselyn 1978, 1979, Lapointe & O'Connell 1989. In southeast Florida the green alga Codium isthmocladum has been growing excessively in deep water for some time; proliferation of this species has been blamed on deep offshore sewage seeps (Lapointe 1997).…”

“…The reefs of Bermuda have experienced large-scale blooms of the alga Cladophora prolifera since 1966 in shallow protected embayments to a depth of 10 m. Re- ; values are means ± 1 SE, n = 3 search conducted on the bloom in the 1970s and 1980s demonstrated that the alga was nutrient limited (Bach & Josselyn 1978, 1979, Lapointe & O'Connell 1989 and various nutrient enrichment treatments led to increased growth and productivity. Bach & Josselyn (1979) demonstrated that light limitation occurred around 10 m, thus explaining algal depth distribution.…”

Contribution of green macroalgal mats (Enteromorpha spp.) to seasonal production in an estuary

“…is greatly skewed towards the green wavelengths, which are less efficiently used in photosynthesis. Photosynthesis by the estuarine green alga Cladophora also declines in the lower portions of thick mats (Bach & Josselyn 1978, Gordon et al 1980.…”

“…Photosynthesis of emersed algae may be restricted by desiccation (Wiltens et al 1978, Quadir et al 1979, Beer & Eshel 1983a, Pregnall 1983. Light penetration through a compressed algal mat may be insufficient to permit high rates of photosynthesis by the lowermost algal filaments (Bach & Josselyn 1978, Gordon et al 1980. Densely matted algae left by the receding tide in shallow, water-filled depressions on the mudflat may become carbon limited.…”