Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 6, 2026
Evaluation of the Effect of Growth Factors on Chlorophylls a and b Production from Microalgae
Published on: October 25, 2024
Effect of background colour on growth and adhesion strength of Ulva sporelings
John A Finlay1, Benjamin R Fletcher, Maureen E Callow
1School of Biosciences, The University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK. j.a.finlay@bham.ac.uk
Abstract:
This study examined the effects of a range of black, grey and white substrata on the growth and attachment strength of Ulva sporelings on glass and polydimethylsiloxane (Silastic-T2) surfaces. The rate of development of sporelings was strongly influenced by the colour of the substratum on which they grew. On black backgrounds, sporelings grew slowly and germination was delayed. Laboratory screening methods for antifouling and fouling-release coatings that rely on the growth of Ulva sporelings can be compromised if samples are of different colours. Hydrodynamic removal of sporelings from coatings may also be affected by substratum colour, since smaller plants generate lower hydrodynamic forces making them more difficult to remove.
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