NOTES ON THE GROWTH AND SPORULATION OF A NATURAL-POPULATION OF APHANIZOMENON FLOS-AQUAE

Aphanizomenon flos-aquae contributed regularly to the summer phytoplankton in Kinnego Bay, a highly eutrophic part of Lough Neagh. Growth of the alga was variable in different years, and was apparently related to the duration of depletion of dissolved nitrate-nitrogen in the water. Although four growth pulses occurred during the study period, sporulation was only observed during one of these, when the population was very dense although evenly distributed down the water column. It seems that Aphanizomenon overwintered in Kinnego Bay as vegetative filaments and that production of akinetes was not necessary for perennation of the species. The observed sporulation in 1973 may have been induced by the high pH values caused by dense phytoplankton crops; no other measured environmental factors were particularly unfavourable to growth of Aphanizomenon at this time. © 1979 Dr. W. Junk b. v. Publishers.