Allelopathic interactions between the macroalga Ulva pertusa and eight microalgal species

Growth of Ulva pertusa and eight microalgal species, Heterosigma akashiwo, Skeletonema costatum, Tetraselmis subcordiformis, Nitzschia closterium, Chaetoceros gracile, Chroomonas placoidea 1967, Isochrysis galbana 8701, and Alexandrium tamarense, was examined in a series of batch, semi-continuous and isolated co-cultures (U. pertusa and one microalgal species). The results of the experiments with co-cultures confirmed the secretion of allelopathic substances by U. pertusa. Growth was significantly (p<0.05) suppressed in each of the macroalgal species in batch co-cultures, nutrient replete semi-continuous co-cultures and isolated co-cultures. The percentage growth reduction varied between 42 and 100% in batch co-cultures, between 28 and 100% in semi-continuous co-cultures, and between 21 and 100% in isolated co-cultures. In addition, we examined the potential allelopathic effect of U. pertusa culture filtrate. The Ulva culture filtrate significantly (p<0.01) inhibited the growth of C. placoidea from 2 days after incubation until the end of the experiment, and it exhibited no inhibitory effect on the growth of the other microalgal species. This may suggest that the allelochemicals released from U. pertusa are rapidly degradable. croalgae tested exhibited different (stimulatory, inhibitory or no) effects on the growth of U. pertusa. U. pertusa grew faster with H. akashiwo (+16%) and S. costatum (+9%), less with T. subcordiformis (−20%), N. closterium (−23%) and C. gracile (−30%), but was not significantly affected by I. galbana, A. tamarense and C. placoidea. The microalgae tested exhibited no clear allelopathic effects on U. pertusa.