The effects of various poisons on the growth and viability of sporelings of the red alga Plumaria elegans (bonnem.) schm.

Boney, A. D.; Corner, E. D. S.; Sparrow, Benjamin

doi:10.1016/0006-2952(59)90055-3

Cited by 23 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 8 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Analysis of the contents of the plant cells for traces of the penetrating substance was considered too complex a task; therefore poisons were used, for their rates of penetration can readily be estimated by examining the toxic effects of the compounds on the growth and viability of the test organisms. The poisons chosen were n-propylmercuric chloride and mercuric chloride, compounds which have markedly different lipid solubilities (Corner & Sparrow, 1957) and are toxic to red algal sporelings (Boney, Corner & Sparrow, 1959).In general, the results obtained support the view expressed by Blinks (1951) that lipids do, in fact, play an important role in determining the resistances of intertidal red algae to increased sea-water temperatures; moreover, the present findings indicate that these lipids are located in the cell membrane. …”

supporting

confidence: 77%

Application of toxic agents in the study of the ecological resistance of intertidal red algae

Boney¹,

Corner

1959

J. Mar. Biol. Ass.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

(Text-figs. 1 and 2)Biebl (1939a, b) has found that algae from various ecological groups show marked differences in their resistance to changes in the temperature of the surrounding sea water. He regards this temperature effect as an important factor influencing the distribution of different intertidal algae and points out that a change of only 2°C may prove critical with certain species. One of us (A. D. B.) has studied the resistance of sporelings of various common intertidal red algae to changes in environmental temperature and has obtained results similar to those of Biebl.The present study is an attempt to assess the importance of the lipid moiety of the cell membrane in determining the degree of this resistance. Evidence of the amount of lipid material has been obtained by measuring the relative rates of penetration into the plants of substances of different lipid solubilities, it being assumed that if the cell membrane contains a large quantity of lipid material then substances of high lipid solubility will penetrate far more rapidly than those oflow lipid solubility; whereas, if it has little then the relative rates of penetration of substances of high and oflow lipid solubility will be much closer in value. Analysis of the contents of the plant cells for traces of the penetrating substance was considered too complex a task; therefore poisons were used, for their rates of penetration can readily be estimated by examining the toxic effects of the compounds on the growth and viability of the test organisms. The poisons chosen were n-propylmercuric chloride and mercuric chloride, compounds which have markedly different lipid solubilities (Corner & Sparrow, 1957) and are toxic to red algal sporelings (Boney, Corner & Sparrow, 1959).In general, the results obtained support the view expressed by Blinks (1951) that lipids do, in fact, play an important role in determining the resistances of intertidal red algae to increased sea-water temperatures; moreover, the present findings indicate that these lipids are located in the cell membrane.

show abstract

supporting

confidence: 77%

Application of toxic agents in the study of the ecological resistance of intertidal red algae

Boney¹,

Corner

1959

J. Mar. Biol. Ass.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…It is quite obvious that the concentration of mercury causing inhibition of growth varies between different algae. Methylmercury and dimethylmercury exert more highly deleterious effects than inorganic mercury (Boney, Corner & Sparrow, 1959;Harriss, White & Macfarlane, 1970;Sorentino, 1979;Rai et al, 1981). In view of the release and loss of mercury from experimental vessels, it is highly probable that the documented lethal concentrations are quite high as compared with actual concentrations producing similar effects.…”

Section: )mentioning

confidence: 99%

Phycology and Heavy‐metal Pollution

1981

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Summary 1. All heavy metals, including those that are essential micronutrients (e.g. copper, zinc, etc.), are toxic to algae at high concentrations. 2. One characteristic feature of heavy‐metal toxicity is the poisoning and inactivation of enzyme systems. Many of the physiological and biochemical processes, viz., photosynthesis, respiration, protein synthesis and chlorophyll synthesis, etc., are severely affected at high metal concentrations. 3. Some algae inhabit waters chronically polluted with heavy‐metal‐laden wastes from mining and smelting operations; Nodularia sp., Oscillatoria sp., Cladophora sp., Hormidium sp., Fucus sp. and Laminaria sp., etc., occur in metal‐rich waters. These algal forms are probably more capable of combating the toxic levels of heavy metals and this attribute is a result of physiological and/or genetic adaptations. The sensitivity or tolerance to heavy metals varies amongst different algae. The phenomena of multiple tolerance and co‐tolerance may be exhibited by some algae. 4. Heavy‐metal pollution causes reduction in species diversity leading to the dominance of a few tolerant algal forms. The primary productivity also decreases after metal supplementation. 5. The uptake and accumulation of heavy metals can be active (energy‐dependent), passive (energy‐independent), or both. 6. Heavy metals can be safely stored as intranuclear complexes by some algae. Notwithstanding this, some changes in the cell wall can enable the algae to tolerate heavy metals by checking the entry of the metals (exclusion mechanism). 7. The metal content of algae growing in a waterbody may yield valuable information for simulating heavy metal pollution: several species of Cladophora and Fucus have been extensively used for this purpose. 8. Several factors affect and determine toxicity of heavy metals to algae. At low pH, the availability of heavy metals to algae is greatly increased, as a consequence of which pronounced toxicity is evident. Hard waters decrease metal toxicity. Some ions, e.g., calcium, magnesium and phosphorus, can alleviate toxicity of metals. 9. The presence of other metals can influence toxicity of a heavy metal through simple additive effect or by synergistic and antagonistic interactions. Similarly, other pollutants can influence heavy‐metal toxicity. 10. The toxicity of heavy metals depends upon their chemical speciation. Various ionic forms of a metal characterized by different valency states, may be differentially toxic to a test alga. 11. Amino acids, organic matter, humic acids, fulvic acid, EDTA, NTA, etc. can complex with heavy metals and render them unavailable. This may eventually lead to less toxicity. 12. Heavy‐metal toxicity largely depends upon algal population density: the denser the population the more numerous the cellular sites available, leading to decreased toxicity.

show abstract

“…Collections of plant material and settlement of spores were carried out as described earlier (Boney, Corner & Sparrow, 1959;.…”

Section: Plant Materials and Spore Settlementmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Effect of Light on the Growth of Sporelings of the Intertidal Red Alga Plumaria Elegans (Bonnem.) Schm

Boney¹,

Corner

1962

J. Mar. Biol. Ass.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Sporelings of the marine red alga Plumaria elegans, grown under continuous illumination from a fluorescent tube, show a maximum rate of cell production at a light energy flux of 10 ergs/sec/mm2 in the range 380—720 mμ. This amount of light energy is low, but compares closely with that illuminating Plumaria in its natural habitat at Wembury during the period of the year when the plant is producing spores.

show abstract

The effects of various poisons on the growth and viability of sporelings of the red alga Plumaria elegans (bonnem.) schm.

Cited by 23 publications

References 8 publications

Application of toxic agents in the study of the ecological resistance of intertidal red algae

Application of toxic agents in the study of the ecological resistance of intertidal red algae

Phycology and Heavy‐metal Pollution

The Effect of Light on the Growth of Sporelings of the Intertidal Red Alga Plumaria Elegans (Bonnem.) Schm

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About