Biomass growth aquatics

Figure 6.2 Examples of two aquatic microorganisms used for biomass growth (a) prokaryotic cyanobacteria Spirulina (Simon, 1994) (Photo taken by Joan Simon / CC-BY-SA-2.5). Reproduced from http //commons.wikimedia.0rg/wiki/File Spirul.jpg and (b) eukaryotic microalgae Haematococcus (Taka, 2006) (Photo taken by Taka.) Reproduced from http // commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/FHe Haematococcus (2006 02J27).jpg...

The plant precursors that eventually formed coal were compacted, hardened, chemically altered, and metamorphosed by heat and pressure over geologic time. It is suspected that coal was formed from prehistoric plants that grew in swamp ecosystems. When such plants died, their biomass was deposited in anaerobic, aquatic environments where low oxygen levels prevented their reduction (rotting and release of carbon dioxide). Successive generations of this type of plant growth and death formed deep deposits of unoxidized organic matter that were subsequently covered by sediments and compacted into carboniferous deposits such as peat or bituminous or anthracite coal. Evidence of the types of plants that contributed to carboniferous deposits can occasionally be found in the shale and sandstone sediments that overlie coal deposits. 

This equation provides a relatively simple estimation method and should yield acceptable results when log Kow is less than 5 and there is no metabolism in or on the surface of the macrophytes. For substances with a greater Knu, changes in macrophyte biomass, i.e., growth dilution, can be important. If appropriate data regarding rate constants are available, a kinetic model may be preferable in assessing the bioconcentration of hydrophobic organic substances in aquatic macrophytes (e.g., Gobas et al., 1991). However, in most cases, this information is not available. 

Biomass A range of phytotoxic and growth inhibitory effects have been attributed to surfactants (1). Increased lag phase growth was observed in Chlamydomonas and Chlorella attributable to > 1 yg/ml nonylphenol (20), 5 yg/ml Aerotex (10) > 7.5 yg/ml Cyclosol (17). No population growth effects were observed with Atlox or 585 oil < 30 yg/ml, or Dowanol < 1000 yg/ml. Both in the algal cells and in a range of aquatic plants initially exposed to surfactants and observed over a period of 21 days, a depressed biomass was coincident with increasing adjuvant concentrations. 

Differential metal concentrations in tissues or organs, as well as the growth rates and production of sea grasses78 and salt marsh plants,81 have been used to calculate the potential cycling/turnover of metals within a system and/or the annual export of contaminants from an estuarine environment to adjacent coastal waters. Similar studies have been performed for macroalgae23 and have provided valuable information on contaminant transport and bioavailability processes within and between aquatic ecosystems, since contaminants associated with decaying plant biomasses will become bio-available through herbivory or the detritivore food web. 

Smith EM (1998) Coherence of microbial respiration rate and cell-specific bacterial activity in a coastal planktonic community. Aquat Microb Ecol 16 27-35 Smith WO Jr, Nelson DM, DiTullio GR, Leventer AR (1996) Temporal and spatial patterns in the Ross Sea phytoplankton biomass, elemental composition, productivity and growth rates. J Geophys Res 101 18455-18466 Smith WO Jr, Marra J, Hiscock MR, Barber RT (2000) The seasonal cycle of phytoplankton biomass and primary productivity in the Ross sea, Antarctica. Deep-Sea Res II 47 3119-3140... 

In the ecological theater of aquatic ecosystems, the observed photoautotrophic biomass at any moment in time represents a balance between the rate of growth and the rate of removal of that trophic level. The burial of organic carbon in... 

The average net annual productivities of dry organic matter on good growth sites for terrestrial and aquatic biomass are shown in Table 4.12. With the exception of phytoplankton, which generally has lower net productivities. 

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