296
'-',' ... "' ......... ~""
I
.,
,.
,.
I
I
• ,
I
J
• •
"
SPAIN
•
,
\ ,
I
I
I
I
,
' . •
I '
I
,
I
J. Romero et al.
,
' ............... _-_ ......... -':: ......... ,
Fig. 12.1. Map of the Iberian Peninsula. Along the Mediterranean coast, the main towns
and industrial zones are indicated
1992]. In more than 50% of the samples, values are below analytical
detection limits. Thus, recycled production is expected to be more important in sustaining biomass than new production, which is related to
external inputs. Marine macrophytes are present throughout the year,
and their growth occurs even when the nutrients are undetectable in the
water (Ballesteros 1989). In contrast to the Atlantic communities, Mediterranean algal communities never show catastrophic outbursts in biomass, which agrees with the view that primary production at low nutrient concentrations depends on regenerative processes. Algal growth is
then supported for most of the time by uptake through high affinity
systems, nutrient storage and, eventually, internal recycling, i.e. mobilization for metabolic uses in times of depletion (Ballesteros 1989).
Terrestial inputs provide an important quantity of nutrients to the
coastal waters; however, freshwater with high nutrient concentrations is
quickly diluted, and thus its availability to seeweeds is local andlor
episodic.
'-',' ... "' ......... ~""
I
.,
,.
,.
I
I
• ,
I
J
• •
"
SPAIN
•
,
\ ,
I
I
I
I
,
' . •
I '
I
,
I
J. Romero et al.
,
' ............... _-_ ......... -':: ......... ,
Fig. 12.1. Map of the Iberian Peninsula. Along the Mediterranean coast, the main towns
and industrial zones are indicated
1992]. In more than 50% of the samples, values are below analytical
detection limits. Thus, recycled production is expected to be more important in sustaining biomass than new production, which is related to
external inputs. Marine macrophytes are present throughout the year,
and their growth occurs even when the nutrients are undetectable in the
water (Ballesteros 1989). In contrast to the Atlantic communities, Mediterranean algal communities never show catastrophic outbursts in biomass, which agrees with the view that primary production at low nutrient concentrations depends on regenerative processes. Algal growth is
then supported for most of the time by uptake through high affinity
systems, nutrient storage and, eventually, internal recycling, i.e. mobilization for metabolic uses in times of depletion (Ballesteros 1989).
Terrestial inputs provide an important quantity of nutrients to the
coastal waters; however, freshwater with high nutrient concentrations is
quickly diluted, and thus its availability to seeweeds is local andlor
episodic.