Brouwer E. M., P. (1996) Decomposition in situ of the
sublittoral Antarctic macroalga Desmarestia anceps Montagne.
Polar Biology, 16, 129-137. ISSN 0722-4060. |PDF - Published
Version | Restricted to KNAW only Official URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF02390433 Large amounts of detached
Antarctic macroalgae accumulate in hollows of the seabed, where
decomposition rates of the detached macroalgae are expected to
be low, caused by lack of contact of the major part of the
macroalgae with the sediment. To determine decomposition rates
in Antarctic waters, untreated and pre-killed Desmarestia anceps
fronds contained in nylon net bags were studied for 10 months
under natural conditions in Factory Cove, Signy Island. Physical
decomposition was shown to be more important than microbial
decomposition. A weight loss of 40% occurred in untreated
material within 313 days, while prekilled material almost all
disappeared within 90 days. Despite the weight loss, changes in
chlorophyll a content were negligible during the exp