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Morphological, physiological and reproductive conditions of rafting bull kelp (Durvillaea antarctica) in northern-central Chile (30°S)

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Abstract

The bull kelp Durvillaea antarctica is a common floating alga in the southern hemisphere, but despite the ecological and biogeographic importance of kelp rafts, little is known about the responses of detached kelps to the conditions at the sea surface. The morphological, physiological and reproductive performances of D. antarctica rafts in the Coastal System of Coquimbo, Chile (CSC, ~30°S), were examined during winter and summer of two successive years (2010/11 and 2011/12). Epibionts (Lepas spp.) that only attach to floating objects were used as indicator for the floating time of kelp rafts. Photosynthetic efficiency and reproductive maturity of both benthic and floating algae varied seasonally, with a stronger decrease in summer than in winter. Blade size (measured as weight proportion of kelp individuals), phlorotannin concentrations and antioxidant activities were lower in floating than in benthic algae. Environmental conditions and floating time affected the blade tissues, with stronger negative effects during summer. These results confirm that floating persistence of D. antarctica in the CSC is suppressed during the summer months, which indicates that the dispersal potential of this (and other) floating algae varies seasonally.

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Acknowledgments

We gratefully thank David Jofre, Lorena Jorquera, Leonardo Miranda, Jose Pantoja, German Penna, Miguel Penna, Jeanette Werner and the crew of RV Stella Maris for their invaluable help and assistance in the field and laboratory procedures. This research was supported by FONDECYT (Chile) grant 1100749.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Facultad de Ciencias del Mar, Universidad Católica del Norte, Larrondo 1281, Coquimbo, Chile

    F. Tala, G. Luna-Jorquera & M. Thiel

  2. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo Tecnológico en Algas (CIDTA), Coquimbo, Chile

    F. Tala

  3. Instituto de Ciencias Marinas y Limnológicas, Universidad Austral de Chile, Casilla 567, Valdivia, Chile

    I. Gómez

  4. Centro de Estudios Avanzados en Zonas Áridas (CEAZA), Coquimbo, Chile

    G. Luna-Jorquera & M. Thiel

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  1. F. Tala
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  4. M. Thiel
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Correspondence to M. Thiel.

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Communicated by F. Bulleri.

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Tala, F., Gómez, I., Luna-Jorquera, G. et al. Morphological, physiological and reproductive conditions of rafting bull kelp (Durvillaea antarctica) in northern-central Chile (30°S). Mar Biol 160, 1339–1351 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-013-2186-8

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