Many phytoplankton and macroalgae release dissolved organic carbon (DOC). Many macroalgae also produce and store secondary metabolites which in some case have been shown to deter their grazers. The metabolites may be released into the surrounding seawater and could inhibit primary production. On the other hand, some phytoplankton can use...
Gradients of physical disturbance are central to
theories of community organization yet rarely are studies
performed in which physical factors are experimentally
manipulated. Pothole tidepool algal communities exhibit
distinct zonation patterns from top to bottom that result
from scouring by rocks and other debris in the pools.
Scouring is easily...
