Diel ammonium fluxes of two caribbean reef corals and two macroalgae under low nutrient conditions
Document Type
Thesis
Degree
Master of Science (MS)
Major/Program
Biology
First Advisor's Name
Ronald D. Jones
First Advisor's Committee Title
Committee Chair
Second Advisor's Name
Steven L. Miller
Third Advisor's Name
Daniel L. Childers
Date of Defense
11-25-1996
Abstract
Two hermatypic south Florida corals, Dichocoenia stokesii and Porites Porites, and two algae, Dictyota cervicornis and Halimeda incrassata were used to study diel ammonium fluxes under non- and mildly enriched ambient conditions. A sensitive fluorometric technique was used to rapidly and accurately measure nanomolar concentrations of ammonium at ecologically relevant concentrations from 25-2,250 nM. Previous studies typically monitored uptake from enriched ambient mediums (5,000-100,000 nM). A unique response from the hermatypic coral Porites porites was a net, positive ammonium flux (3.54 nmol NH4 cm-2 h-1). Otherwise, the other three ammonium sink species generated net negative fluxes from -0.29 ± -1.09 nmol NH4 cm-2 h-1. Ammonium depletion trends showed that over time D. stokesii, H. incrassata, and D. cervicornis took up ammonium until the ambient medium became limiting and uptake rates approached zero at the lowest measured concentrations of 76, 45, and 26 nM, respectively. There was inter- and intraspecific variation of ammonium uptake rates from various initial ammonium concentrations (P<0.05). Kinetic uptake parameters (Vm and KS) were calculated for sink organisms and found to be highly variable between individuals in a species. Half-saturation constant (KS) ranges values for D. cervicornis and H. incrassata were near or below literature values for other tropical algae, while KS value ranges for D. stokesii were slightly higher than values reported for other hermatypic corals. D. stokesii, H. incrassata, and D. cervicornis had KS value ranges of 2,919-18,656 nM, 413-208,333 nM, and 508-2,215 nM, respectively.
Identifier
FI14062212
Recommended Citation
Davis, Katharine Anne, "Diel ammonium fluxes of two caribbean reef corals and two macroalgae under low nutrient conditions" (1996). FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 2745.
https://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/etd/2745
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