Synthetic and degradative processes in marine macrophytes : proceedings of a conferences held at Bamfield Marine Station, Bamfield, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, May 16-18, 1980

Seaweeds are important sources of food, several phycocolloids, pharmaceuticals and, more recently, biomass for energy. Their continued and successful commercial utilization depends on our understanding of their growth and reproduction, their strategies and adaptations that enable them to exploit their environment, and their place in the coastal ecosystem of which they are such an important part. Among the seaweeds, the brown (Phaeophyta) and red (Rhodophyta) algae are specially important, not because they are highly visible, but because they form the basis for much of the seaweed industry. Despite their importance, however, these macrophytes, which include the "redwoods of the sea," are poorly studied and very few volumes have been exclusively devoted to them. The present volume is a record of the proceedings of a small conference held at the Bamfield Marine Station, Vancouver Island, British Columbia on May 16-18, 1980 on the synthetic and degradative aspects of marine macrophytes. Over the years, a snail but active group of researchers studying various aspects of macrophytes, especially kelp growth and physiology, reproduction, chemical constituents, mariculture and degradation, has come together in British Columbia and it seemed appropriate that the Bamfield Marine Station, where much of this work is being done, be the site of this first conference. Since the board and residence facilities at Bamfield were very limited, only a small number of participants could be invited. While this resulted in a narrowed scope for the conference, it permitted a greater exchange of ideas on the topics that were covered than is usually possible in larger conferences. Also, the unhurried contact of people from different disciplines under the idyllic setting of a fishing village on the Pacific ocean, far from the madding crowd, proved to be a most valuable experience. The aim of the conference, set by the Organizing Committee, was to emphasize marine macrophytes as a natural resource and their prudent management. Since kelp are the predominant macrophytes along the Pacific coast of North America, they received the most attention. A mixture of topics on growth and reproduction, nutrient availability and supply, XII macroalgal associations and degradation, and on kelp farming and harvest, was proposed and within that framework, individual speakers were left free to develop their themes and highlight what they thought was important. During the conference it was agreed by the participants that the papers and relevant discussions, which ware being taped, be published as a single volume. On returning to their respective homes, the authors prepared their manuscripts according to the publisher's instructions and sent them back to me, in most cases promptly and without any nudging. In two cases, however, I am still awaiting the manuscripts. It has been my very pleasant duty to compile these proceedings. The papers, all of them by experts in their fields, are of consistently high quality and, having spent the better part of my research career with higher plants, I am impressed by the range of unique and in sane cases untouched problems that marine macrophytes offer for inquisitive, bright, and resourceful young minds. At times I have changed the order and grouping of papers from that followed in the conference for better continuity and readibility. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all contributors, authors and discussants, who made this volume possible, and who so patiently and ungrudgingly bore the brunt of my editorial scissors. Many individuals and institutions cooperated and helped in the production of this book. Financial support for the conference was provided in part by Simon Fraser University, in part by the Marine Resources Branch, Department of Environment, Government of British Golunbia, and in part by the participants who not only generously donated their time, but also bore a substantial part of their travel fare to Vancouver and back. Our special thanks are due to the Director and staff of Bamfield Marine Station who provided the facilities for holding the conference and to numerous students, staff and faculty who volunteered their time and effort to running the various errands associated with the conference. I vrould specially like to thank CONTENTS LIST OF CONTRIBUTORS PREFACE OPENING REMARKS Part I. Strategies of growth and reproduction PHYSIOLOGY OF CARBON FIXATION IN BENTHIC MARINE ALGAE SEASONAL PATTERNS OF CARBON ASSIMILATION AND UTILIZATION BY KELPS ENGELMANN'S THEORY: THE COMPELLING LOGIC SEASONALITY IN LARGER BROWN ALGAE AND ITS POSSIBLE REGULATION BY THE ENVIRONMENT Part II. Nutrition and culture INORGANIC NUTRITION OF MARINE MACRO-ALGAE IN CULTURE NUTRIENT UPTAKE AND GROWTH IN TOE IAMINARIALES AND OTHER MACROPHYTES: A CONSIDERATION OF METHODS NITROGEN NUTRITION OF MACROCYSTIS UPTAKE OF INORGANIC IONS AND THEIR LONG DISTANCE TRANSPORT IN FUCALES AND LAMINARIALES TRANSLOCATION OF ORGANIC COMPOUNDS IN LAMINARIALES Part III. Marine macrophytes in coastal ecosystems THE REGULATION OF MACROAIGAL ASSOCIATIONS IN KELP FORESTS ROLES FOR DETRITUS IN COMPLEMENTING PRODUCTIVITY OF COASTAL SYSTEMS DEGRADATION OF THE KELPS MACROCYSTIS INTEGRIFOLIA AND NEREOCYSTIS LUETKEANA IN BRITISH COLUMBIA COASTAL WATERS Part IV. Polysaccharides, kelp farming and harvest TOWARD IMPROVED UNDERSTANDING OF POLYSACCHARIDE SYNTHESIS AND STORAGE IN MARINE ADSAE FARMING MACROCYSTIS AT COASTAL AND OCEANIC SITES MACROCYSTIS HARVEST STRATEGY IN BRITISH COLUMBIA SUBJECT INDEX

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