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LILLY THAYER
BOT 437
SPRING 2009
Algal Community Succession
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Ecological Succession: Changes in the species composition. often predictable and usually follows an orderly stepwise pattern
Primary Succession: No living organisms lava flow or glacial ice-scour.
Secondary Succession: Life, or potential life wildfire, deforestation, or hurricane
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Light, temp., day length, nutrients, previous species, etc.
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Effect of Fertilization
“Short-term… effects on algal colonization, abundance, and species composition” of nitrogen and phosphorous fertilizers. (McClanahan, 2007)
Past studies show increased: Photosynthesis Growth rates Biomass
Phosphorous most limiting?
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Study 2° succession in natural habitat Glover’s Reef, Belize
Imitates pollution with fishing Only small herbivorous fish
Distinguish effects of N and P
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Study Design
4 treatments (N, P, N+P, Control)
Plates of dead coral Tests 2° succession
Record small fish herbivory rates Excluded large herbivorous fish and urchins
Record algal biomass, plate cover, and diversity
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Results
“No significant fertilization effect on algal biomass” (McClanahan, 2007)
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Results…
“Control treatment had more taxa than fertilized treatments” (McClanahan, 2007)
Pure P least diversity
Turf algal cover Only type to respond to fertilization Lowest in pure P Did not increase with increasing N Co-limitation
○ = Control
□ = N + P ◇ = P
△ = N
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Conclusion
Effect of high P similar to effect of high herbivory Gives competitive edge to cyanobacteria
“Taxa-specific responses to the two nutrients but… nitrogen and phosphorous are co-limiting to turf algal cover” (Mc
Clanahan, 2007)
More diversity in mixed N and P treatments than pure
“Large imbalance in micronutrients ratios… will reduce biodiversity more than just increased [N]” (McClanahan, 2007)
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Works Cited
Aguilara, Moisés; Navarrete, Sergio. 2007. Effects of Chiton granosus (Frembly, 1827) and other molluscan grazers on algal succession in wave exposed mid-intertidal rocky shores of central Chile. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology. 349: 84-98.
Bruce, Louise, et. al. 2009. The role of zooplankton in the ecological succession of plankton and benthic algae across a salinity gradient in the Shark Bay salt ponds. Hydrobiologia. 626: 111-128.
Fricke, Anna, et.al. 2007. Natural succession of macroalgal-dominated epibenthic assemblages at different water depths and after transplantation from deep to shallow water on Spitsbergen. Polar Biology. 31: 1191-1203.
Kraufvelin, Patrik, et. al. 2007. Winter colonisation and succession of filamentous macroalgae on artificial substrates and possible relationships to Fucus vesiculosus. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science. 72: 665-674.
McClanahan, T.R., et. al. 2007. Effect of nitrogen, phosphorous, and their interaction on coral reef algal succession in Glover’s Reef, Belize. Marine Pollution Bulletin. 54: 1947-1957.
Olabarria, C., et. al. 207. Succession of macrofauna on macroalgal wrack of an exposed Sandy beach: Effects of patch size and site. Marine Environmental Research. 63: 19-40.
Petraitis, Peter; Dudgeon, Steve. 2005. Divergent succession and implications for alternative states on rocky intertidal shores. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology. 326: 14-26.