Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 19, 2026
12:47
Tangential Flow Ultrafiltration: A “Green” Method for the Size Selection and Concentration of Colloidal Silver Nanoparticles
Published on: October 4, 2012
18.5K
Green tides select for fast expanding Ulva strains.
Antoine Fort1, Conor Mannion1, Jose M Fariñas-Franco1
1National University of Ireland - Galway, Plant Systems Biology Lab, Ryan Institute, Plant and AgriBiosciences Research Centre, School of Natural Sciences, Galway H91 TK33, Ireland.
The Science of the Total Environment
|September 14, 2019
Summary
Green tide strains of sea lettuce (Ulva spp.) exhibit faster growth and higher protein and pigment content, suggesting a genetic basis for their recurrent proliferation. This indicates green tides may increase in frequency and severity.
Area of Science:
- Marine biology
- Eutrophication studies
- Algal bloom research
Background:
- Green tides, caused by Ulva spp., are seasonal marine events.
- Anthropogenic eutrophication is the primary suspected cause.
- Increased green tide occurrence since the 1970s may involve amplified fast-growing strains.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if intrinsic characteristics of green tide Ulva strains contribute to their recurrence.
- To compare growth and metabolite profiles of green tide versus non-green tide Ulva strains.
Main Methods:
- Cultivated 28 green tide and 100 non-green tide Ulva strains.
- Simulated conditions mimicking green tide environments.
- Analyzed tissue expansion, protein, pigment, and starch content.
Main Results:
- Green tide strains showed significantly faster tissue expansion.
- Green tide strains had higher protein and pigment content.
- Green tide strains exhibited lower starch content compared to non-green tide strains.
- No significant difference in dry biomass accumulation was observed between the groups.
Conclusions:
- Green tide Ulva strains possess specific genetic traits favoring rapid growth.
- Environmental selective pressures amplify these adapted genotypes.
- Green tides are predicted to become more frequent and severe in the future.
Related Concept Videos
01:32What is Natural Selection?
125.9K
Natural selection is an evolutionary process in which individuals with survival-promoting traits reproduce at higher rates. These favorable traits become more common within a population or species. Naturally selected traits initially arise via random genetic mutations. In order for selection to occur, there must be variation within a population, the trait controlling the variation must be heritable, and there must be an evolutionary advantage for variation in the trait.
125.9K
12:47Tangential Flow Ultrafiltration: A “Green” Method for the Size Selection and Concentration of Colloidal Silver Nanoparticles
18.5K
Tangential flow ultrafiltration (TFU) is a recirculation method used for the weight-based separation of biosamples. TFU was adapted to size-select (1-20 nm diameter) and highly concentrate a large volume of polydisperse silver nanoparticles (4 L of 15.2 μg ml-1 down to 4 ml of 8,539.9 μg ml-1) with minimal...
18.5K
01:21Green Algae
728
Green algae, also referred to as chlorophytes, are different from red algae in having the chloroplasts containing chlorophylls a and b, which give them their distinct green hue. However, they lack phycobiliproteins, preventing them from developing the red or blue-green pigmentation seen in red algae. In terms of photosynthetic pigment composition, green algae closely resemble plants and share a close evolutionary relationship with them. Taxonomically Green algae belong to Phylum Chlorophyta in...
728
02:05Gene Evolution - Fast or Slow?
8.0K
The genomes of eukaryotes are punctuated by long stretches of sequence which do not code for proteins or RNAs. Although some of these regions do contain crucial regulatory sequences, the vast majority of this DNA serves no known function. Typically, these regions of the genome are the ones in which the fastest change, in evolutionary terms, is observed, because there is typically little to no selection pressure acting on these regions to preserve their sequences.
In contrast, regions which code...
In contrast, regions which code...
8.0K
06:48Assessing Intertidal Populations of the Invasive European Green Crab
6.5K
Understanding spatiotemporal patterns in green crab population dynamics is essential for predicting and managing the ecological and economic impacts of this harmful invasive species. This protocol was developed in an effort to create a standardized method for assessing green crab populations in the rocky intertidal zone of the Northwest...
6.5K
01:19Thermal Strain
2.8K
Thermal strain is a concept that arises when we consider how temperature changes affect structures. Unlike the conventional assumption that structures remain constant under load, real-world scenarios often involve temperature fluctuations that can significantly impact these structures. Consider a homogeneous rod with a uniform cross-section resting freely on a flat horizontal surface. If the rod's temperature increases, the rod elongates. This elongation is proportional to the temperature...
2.8K