The Use of an Infrared Thermometer to Determine Surface Temperatures in Marine Macroalgae

The surface temperatures of intertidal algae may span a wide range at low tide, and there is a need for a quick yet accurate method to measure them. Infrared thermometers are used for measuring the temperatures of a variety of surfaces but, to our knowledge, have not been used to measure surface temperatures of marine macroalgae. These thermometers produce estimates of surface temperatures based upon measurements of infrared radiation and the emissivity of the surface being measured. In order to determine if this instrument would be suitable for measurements of macroalgal surface temperatures, variation in the emissivities of macroalgal surfaces had to first be determined. Emmisivities generally ranged from 0.93 to 0.98 and, with the exception of Chondrocanthus exasperatus, showed little variation among algal species, with the condition of the algal surface, or with layering. The differences in emissivities between C. exasperathus and other algal species might have been due to its papillate surface texture. Using an emissivity of 0.95, the infrared thermometer was then used to obtain the surface temperatures of a variety of intertidal algae in the field. Ulva lactuca and Porphyra sp. displayed the largest range of surface temperatures, while Ulvaria obscura and Mazzaella splendens varied the least.