The seasonal accrual and loss of benthic algae (Spirogyra) in the Daly River, an oligotrophic river in tropical Australia

S. Townsend and A. Padovan
Marine and Freshwater Research, 56, 3, 317-327,

The hierarchy of factors that control the growth and biomass of Spirogyra sp. was examined for an 18-km reach of the Daly River in the wet/dry tropics of northern Australia. On an annual temporal scale, hydrological disturbances control Spirogyra. Over the wet season (typically December–April), frequent runoff events prevent the colonisation and growth of Spirogyra in the Daly River. This is followed, however, by a lengthy period (typically May–November) without hydrological disturbances and river velocities that favour benthic algal growth.