Mariculture Potential of Gracilaria Species [Rhodophyta] in Jamaican Nitrate-Enriched Back-Reef Habitats: Growth, Nutrient Uptake, and Elemental Composition

Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 190 Gracilaria Mariculture for Agar Production ............................................................................ 190 Gracilaria Mariculture Potential in Tropical Countries ........................................................... 192 Gracilaria Mariculture Potential in Jamaican Nitrate-Enriched Back-Reef Habitats .............. 193 Research Objectives .................................................................................................................. 194

Materials and Methods .................................................................................................................. 195 Field Sampling of Gracilaria Populations ................................................................................ 195 In Situ Culture Sites .................................................................................................................. 195 In Situ Culture Methods ............................................................................................................ 196

Rope Culture ........................................................................................................................ 196 Vexar Cage Culture .............................................................................................................. 196 Net Culture ........................................................................................................................... 197

Nutrient Enrichment and Controlled Grazing Experiments ..................................................... 197 Epiphyte Observations and Quantification ............................................................................... 198 Grazing Observations and Quantification ................................................................................. 199 Weather Observations ............................................................................................................... 199 Nutrient Uptake Experiments ................................................................................................... 199 Physical and Chemical Parameters ...........................................................................................200 Agar Extractions and Determinations....................................................................................... 201 Tissue Analysis for C, N, and P Contents .................................................................................202 Statistical Analysis ....................................................................................................................202

Results ............................................................................................................................................202 Strain Selection for Mariculture ...............................................................................................202