Monthly samples of the Laminariaceae, L. saccharina and L. cloustoni, from three localities on the Argyllshire coast have been taken from March 1948 to March 1949, and analysed for dry matter, ash, mannitol, laminarin, crude proteins, inorganic nitrogen and alginic acid, and the seasonal variation in these constituents correlated with the changes in composition of the sea water.

The results show that a correlation does exist and that a period of rapid photosynthesis occurs from March to June/July, but is restricted in July/August when nitrate is undetectable in the water and phosphate is as low as 0·16–0–20 mg. atom/m.3. The replenishment of the photosynthetic layer with nutrients is retarded in July/August, apparently due to the warming of the inshore waters, which may set up a thermocline restricting vertical mixing.

The autumn cooling of the uppermost waters facilitates vertical mixing, regenerating the nutrients in the photosynthetic region, and a second burst of photosynthesis at a reduced rate from the spring ‘outburst’ occurs in October/November.