| Summary: | Halimeda macroloba Decaisne can utilize the CO2
used for carbon fixation in photosynthesis and use bicarbonate
as the main carbon source for calcification. Although Halimeda has been recognized as a carbon sink species, the calcium
accumulation of Halimeda species in Thai waters remain poorly understood. In this study, the highest density of H.
macroloba was 26 thalli/m2
and Halimeda quickly produced 1-2 new segments/thallus/day or 20.1 mg dry weight/thallus/day.
Its calcium carbonate accumulation rate was 16.6 mg CaCO3
/thallus/day, or 82.46 % per thallus. In Thailand, however, only
three scientific papers of growth rate and CaCO3
accumulation rate of H. macroloba have been found and collected. Of these
records, the mean density was 26-104 thalli/m2
. The growth rate of H. macroloba was around 1-2 mg dry weight/day and
the CaCO3
accumulation rate varied around 41-91%. Thus, Halimeda has a great potential to decrease the carbon dioxide
concentration in the ocean.
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