Density dependent growth of the red algae Furcellaria lumbricalis and Coccotylus truncatus in the West Estonian Archipelago Sea, northern Baltic Sea

Abstract

In an in situ experiment we evaluated the growth of the red algae Furcellarialumbricalis and Coccotylus truncatus in the Archipelago Sea. The results showedthat the growth rates of both species were similar but that growth decreased withincreasing algal coverage. The effects were more pronounced for C. truncatus thanfor F. lumbricalis. Economic analyses aiming to establish sustainable harvestinglimits for F. lumbricalis in the study area should take account of the densitydependent growth of these red algae.

Keywords

• In situ experiment
• Red algae
• Density effects
• Growth