Relationship of Trace Elements Concentration and Growth Rate in <i>Alsidium triquetrum</i> (Rhodophyta)

Abstract

Minerals and trace elements content and concentration in marine algae vary depending on species morphology and physiology; as well as growing environmental conditions. Despite this variability, accumulation of magnesium, and especially iron, seems to be common in Chlorophyta; while Rhodophyta and Heterokontophyta show higher affinity to manganese. The red agarophyte Alsidium triquetrum was used to analyze the relationship between metal concentration, environmental conditions and growth rate. Specimens grown in situ showed a large variability of Fe, Mn, Mg, and Al, in thallus tissue concentrations. Further, a compelling relationship between the growth rate and the thallus concentration of Mg and Mn, Zn, and Al was detected. Manganese, unlike the other trace elements analyzed showed a positive linear relationship between growth rate and tissue content during the period of greatest vegetative growth.