Temporal dynamics of algal epiphytes on Leathesia marina and Colpomenia sinuosa macrothalli (Phaeophyceae)

ABSTRACT

This is the first study on the temporal dynamics of the epiphyte communities of Leathesia marina and Colpomenia sinuosa, in terms of richness, diversity and abundance, and their relationships between the hosts and the environmental factors. A total of 31 epiphyte taxa were recorded, with the two hosts sharing 64.5% of the epiphytic species found. The red algal epiphytic group had the highest abundance on both hosts and the diatoms presented the highest species richness. The epiphyte species on L. marina showed a progressive increase in abundance during the warm seasons that was related to the end of the macroscopic life stage of the host. They also showed a greater specific richness on L. marina than on C. sinuosa, but a lower diversity and evenness, and a clear dominance of the species Urospora penicilliformis and Erythrotrichia carnea. Low abundance of epiphytes was found on C. sinuosa, without temporal variation, but high diversity and evenness and without any dominant species. In addition, a clear zonation was observed on this host, where epiphytic abundance decreased on the lateral and upper part of the thallus.

SUBJECT EDITOR:

• Anna Fricke

KEYWORDS:

• Brown macroalgal host
• epiphyte assemblage
• lower intertidal zone
• seasonality dynamic

Acknowledgements

Ailen Melisa Poza is a doctoral fellow of CONICET (Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas). María Cecilia Gauna and Elisa Rosalía Parodi are researchers of CONICET and Juan Francisco Escobar is an associated technician of CENPAT. The authors are especially grateful to Rosemary Scoffield MSc and Dr María Emilia Croce for reading the manuscript.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Secretaría General de Ciencia y Tecnología, Universidad Nacional del Sur under (grant number PGI CSU-24/B234) and Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas under (grant number PIP-11220130100070CO).