Resumo

AGUILAR-ROSAS, Raúl; CRUZ-CAMPAS, Martín Eusebio  e  TRUJILLO-ORTIZ, Antonio. Crecimiento de Gracilaria pacifica Abbott (Rhodophyta) En el Estero de Punta Banda, Baja California, México. Hidrobiológica [online]. 2000, vol.10, n.1, pp.74-79. ISSN 0188-8897.

From October 1987 to April 1989 four methods were tested to assess growth rare (percentage of increment of weigth × day^-1) on Gracilaria pacifica Abbott, from the Estero of Punta Banda, Baja California, México. Only one method gave satisfactory results. This method consisted in using G. pacifica fragments of initial wet weight between 6.0 and 6.5 g, attached to ropes placed on the substrate in the intertidal zone. A seasonal growth pattern was demostrated, with a maximal mean growth rate of 13.65% × day^-1 in June (summer), and minimal of 1.89% × day^-1 in December (winter), by March and April, the lowest surviving percentage were showed 56.2 and 0.0%, respectively. Mortality of G. pacifica occurred mainly due to sediment burial. Seven species of epiphytic algae on G. pacifica were identified, being Enteromorpha clathrata and Polysiphonia mollis frequent in late autumm.

Palavras-chave : Growth; Gracilaria pacifica; Rhodophyta; Estero de Punta Banda; Baja California.