A recirculating flow-tank was designed and tested to measure inorganic nutrient uptake by, and visualize the movement of seawater around, large macrophytes. The tank volume was small (46 L), and a propeller drive produced unidirectional mean flow. A turbulence reduction section dampened turbulence in the test section to a low level, so that water movement within this region was virtually laminar. The test section of the tank was wider than that of previous designs, allowing whole blades of Macrocystis integrifolia Bory and juvenile plants of Nereocystis luetkeana (Mert.) Post, et Rupr. to be placed in the flow, away from the influence of velocity boundary layers associated with the tank walls. The tank's use in macroalgae nutrient uptake and flow visualization experiments was demonstrated.

Item Type:	Refereed Article
Keywords:	flow tank, flow visualization, Macrocystis integrifolia, macrophytes, Nereocystic luetkeana, nutrient uptake, Phaeophyta
Research Division:	Biological Sciences
Research Group:	Plant biology
Research Field:	Phycology (incl. marine grasses)
Objective Division:	Expanding Knowledge
Objective Group:	Expanding knowledge
Objective Field:	Expanding knowledge in the biological sciences
UTAS Author:	Hurd, CL (Professor Catriona Hurd)
ID Code:	93210
Year Published:	1994
Web of Science® Times Cited:	19
Deposited By:	IMAS Research and Education Centre
Deposited On:	2014-07-17
Last Modified:	2014-08-01
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