THE SEASONAL VARIATION IN CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OFMACROCYSTIS INTEGRIFOLIAANDNEREOCYSTIS LUETKEANAIN BRITISH COLUMBIA COASTAL WATERS

摘要

Macrocystis integrifoliaandNereocystis luetkeanawere collected at Port Hardy and Vancouver, B.C., respectively, at monthly intervals October 1949 through September 1951. Analyses of fronds and of stipes were made for dry weight, ash, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, sulphur, copper, zinc, iron, ether-solubles, algin, mannitol, fucoidin, and laminarin. Generally speaking the fronds had a higher content of all substances measured than did the stipes, and the content of the two species of algae showed parallel variation but differed in values. Dry weight and ash were at maxima in late fall and winter and at minima in April and May. During March total nitrogen, ether-solubles, mannitol, fucoidin, and laminarin were at their highest concentration. The plants in July contained the minima of total nitrogen, phosphorus, and ether-solubles. The maximum for phosphorus occurred in December and during this same month fucoidin was at minimum. The variation of sulphur, copper, zinc, iron, and algin was such that well marked minima and maxima were not evident.