POLAR LIPIDS AND FATTY-ACIDS OF SOME MARINE MACROPHYTES FROM THE YELLOW SEA

Polar lipid and fatty acid compositions of 26 species of marine macrop hytes collected in the Yellow Sea during winter were determined. Each division of seaweeds and seagrasses have distinguishing lipid and fatt y acid profiles which have a chemotaxonomic value for marine plants. A lgal habitat conditions affect quantitative characteristics of the fat ty acids but its influence was not the same for different species. The content of polyunsaturated fatty acids in Chinese algae, in compariso n with the same or related species from other regions, was found to be noticeably higher for most of the algal species examined. Members of the genera Rhadomela, Gracilaria, Sargassum, Ulva, Enteromorpha (excep t E. linza) and Zostera had the same ratios of the principal fatty aci ds as those for related species from other regions. The draining perio d during low tides affected lipid content and ratio of polyunsaturated fatty acids in algae but it did not influence the polar lipid and fat ty acid profiles.