Sporophyte response of three kelp species, Laminaria saccharina (L.) Lamouroux, Alaria tenuifolia Setchell, Costaria costata (Turner) Saunders, in the intertidal zone of Burrard Inlet was correlated primarily with tidal and atmospheric conditions and not with salinity or nutrients. Young sporophytes first became evident in February and March when insolation was increasing and the lower low tides were shifting from night to day. These sporophytes were distributed from 1.3 m above 0 tide to below 0 tide. By April all plants above 0.7 m had died and the remaining plants achieved their maximum biomass in May. The subsequent decrease in biomass was related to prolonged daytime exposures to air. Costaria costata produced meiospores by July before dying and L. saccharina and A. tenuifolia persisted until autumn when they produced meiospores.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Druehl et al. (1977) studied this question.