Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-tf8b9 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-24T15:34:31.792Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Appearance of Heterosiphonia japonica (Ceramiales: Rhodophyceae) on the west coast of Scotland, with notes on Sargassum muticum (Fucales: Heterokontophyta)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 June 2009

Colin G. Moore*
Affiliation:
School of Life Sciences, Heriot-Watt University, Riccarton, Edinburgh EH14 4AS, UK
Dan B. Harries
Affiliation:
School of Life Sciences, Heriot-Watt University, Riccarton, Edinburgh EH14 4AS, UK
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: C.G. Moore, School of Life Sciences, Heriot-Watt University, Riccarton, Edinburgh EH14 4AS, UK email: [email protected]
Get access

Abstract

Following the discovery of the newly introduced red alga Heterosiphonia japonica in Loch Sunart, West Scotland in 2008, its local distribution, abundance and dominance within the algal community was examined by in situ observations and algal collections at sites in Loch Sunart and Loch Creran. It was found to be common in both lochs at semi-exposed and sheltered locations, where it was generally one of the dominant species attaining 12% coverage of the seabed below a Laminaria saccharina forest canopy and 28% cover in the shallow circalittoral, where it formed a virtual macroalgal monoculture. Possible vectors for its spread in the area are discussed. The presence of Sargassum muticum is also reported at one of the sites, representing the most northerly UK record of this species in the literature.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2009

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Bates, C.R., Moore, C.G., Harries, D.B., Austin, W. and Lyndon, A.R. (2004) Broad scale mapping of sublittoral habitats in Loch Sunart, Scotland. Scottish Natural Heritage Commisioned Report, No. 006, 86 pp.Google Scholar
Bjærke, M.R. and Rueness, J. (2004) Effects of temperature and salinity on growth, reproduction and survival in the introduced red alga Heterosiphonia japonica (Ceramiales, Rhodophyta). Botanica Marina 47, 373380.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Boney, A.D. (1975) Regenerates from excised pseudolateral branches of Heterosiphonia plumosa (Ellis) Batt. New Phytologist 74, 93100.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Critchley, A.T., Farnham, W.F. and Morrell, S.L. (1983) A chronology of new European sites of attachment for the invasive brown alga, Sargassum muticum, 1973–1981. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 63, 799811.Google Scholar
Davison, D.M. (1999) Sargassum muticum in Strangford Lough, 1995–1998; a review of the introduction and colonisation of Strangford Lough MNR and cSAC by the invasive brown algae Sargassum muticum. Report to the Environment and Heritage Service, DoE (N.I.). Available via DIALOG. http://www.ehsni.gov.uk/pubs/publications/sargassum.pdf. Accessed 17 March 2009.Google Scholar
Davison, D.M. and Hughes, D.J. (1998) Zostera biotopes (volume I). An overview of dynamics and sensitivity characteristics for conservation management of SACs. UK Marine SACs Project, Scottish Association for Marine Science, 95 pp.Google Scholar
Den Hartog, C. (1997) Is Sargassum muticum a threat to eelgrass beds? Aquatic Botany 58, 3741.Google Scholar
Deysher, L. and Norton, T.A. (1982) Dispersal and colonization in Sargassum muticum (Yendo) Fenshold. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 56, 179195.Google Scholar
Dodd, J., Baxter, L. and Hughes, D.J. (2009) Mapping Serpula vermicularis (Polychaeta: Serpulidae) aggregations in Loch Teacuis, western Scotland, a new record. Marine Biology Research 5, 200205.Google Scholar
Hardy, F.G. and Guiry, M.D. (2003) A checklist and atlas of the seaweeds of Britain and Ireland. London: The British Phycological Society, 435 pp.Google Scholar
Harries, D.B., Cook, E., Donnan, D.W., Mair, J.M., Harrow, S. and Wilson, J.R. (2007) The establishment of the invasive alga Sargassum muticum on the west coast of Scotland: rapid northwards spread and identification of potential new areas for colonisation. Aquatic Invasions 2, 367377.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hiscock, K. (1996) Marine nature conservation review: rationale and methods. Peterborough: Joint Nature Conservation Committee, 167 pp.Google Scholar
Howson, C.M. (1996) Survey of the shallow sublittoral biotopes in Loch Sunart. Scottish Natural Heritage Research, Survey and Monitoring Report, No. 67, 43 pp.Google Scholar
Howson, C.M., Mercer, T. and Moore, J.J. (2006) Site condition monitoring: survey of rocky reefs in the Firth of Lorne marine Special Area of Conservation. Scottish Natural Heritage Commissioned Report, No. 190, 306 pp.Google Scholar
Husa, V. and Sjøtun, K. (2006) Vegetative reproduction in ‘Heterosiphonia japonica’ (Dasyaceae, Ceramiales, Rhodophyta), an introduced red alga on European coasts. Botanica Marina 49, 191199.Google Scholar
Husa, V., Sjøtun, K. and Lein, T.E. (2004) The newly introduced species Heterosiphonia japonica Yendo (Dasyaceae, Rhodophyta): geographical distribution and abundance at the Norwegian southwest coast. Sarsia 89, 211217.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Husa, V., Sjøtun, K., Brattenborg, N. and Lein, T.E. (2008) Changes of macroalgal biodiversity in sublittoral sites in southwest Norway: impact of an introduced species or higher temperature? Marine Biology Research 4, 414428.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Moore, C.G., Saunders, G.R., Harries, D.B., Mair, J.M., Bates, C.R. and Lyndon, A.R. (2006) The establishment of site condition monitoring of the subtidal reefs of Loch Creran Special Area of Conservation. Scottish Natural Heritage Commissioned Report, No. 151, 129 pp.Google Scholar
Norton, T.A. (1977) Ecological experiments with Sargassum muticum. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 57, 3343.Google Scholar
Sjøtun, K., Husa, V. and Peña, V. (2008) Present distribution and possible vectors of introductions of the alga Heterosiphonia japonica (Ceramiales, Rhodophyta) in Europe. Aquatic Invasions 3, 389406.CrossRefGoogle Scholar