Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Jose Diesel, Gary Molano, Gabriel J. Montecinos, Kelly Deweese, Sara Calhoun, Alan Kuo, Anna Lipzen, Asaf Salamov, Igor V. Grigoriev, Daniel C. Reed, Robert J. Miller, Sergey V. Nuzhdin, Filipe Alberto
Summary: The study presents a high-quality genome assembly of the giant kelp, Macrocystis pyrifera, using PacBio reads and Hi-C technology. The assembled genome is 537 MB in size, with 35 scaffolds and 188 contigs. Annotation of the genome identified 25,919 genes. Additionally, the study confirms the population structure of giant kelp using genetic variation data.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Pamela A. Fernandez, Barbara Labbe, Juan D. Gaitan-Espitia, Catriona L. Hurd, Ellie R. Paine, Anusuya Willis, Craig Sanderson, Alejandro H. Buschmann
Summary: The distribution and productivity of seaweeds are influenced by changes in temperature and inorganic nitrogen availability. The effect of the nitrate: ammonium ratio on physiological traits and gametophyte development of Macrocystis was investigated, showing that NH4+ led to negative NO3- uptake rates and reduced growth rates. Different developmental stages and physiological traits may have varying thermal tolerance windows.
ALGAL RESEARCH-BIOMASS BIOFUELS AND BIOPRODUCTS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Henry F. Houskeeper, Isaac S. Rosenthal, Katherine C. Cavanaugh, Camille Pawlak, Laura Trouille, Jarrett E. K. Byrnes, Tom W. Bell, Kyle C. Cavanaugh
Summary: Giant kelp populations, which are essential for productive coastal ecosystems, are vulnerable to changing climate conditions and human impacts. This study presents two approaches for automating the detection of giant kelp using satellite imagery and applies them to the Falkland Islands. The results show no evidence of long-term change in giant kelp canopy area, but recent declines should be carefully monitored.
Article
Environmental Sciences
James J. J. Leichter, Lydia B. B. Ladah, P. Ed Parnell, M. Dale Stokes, Matthew T. T. Costa, James Fumo, Paul K. K. Dayton
Summary: This study describes long-term patterns of Giant Kelp canopy area and recent patterns of nitrate exposure in the water column off the coast of San Diego County. The results show that ocean and climate dynamics are associated with kelp persistence and resilience, and that seasonal upwelling and high-frequency internal waves contribute to the spatial patterns of Giant Kelp in southern California.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Maribel Solas, Rodolfo A. Correa, Fernanda Barria, Cristobal Garces, Carolina Camus, Sylvain Faugeron
Summary: Understanding the scope of local adaptation is crucial for developing restoration strategies in large seaweeds. In this study, the researchers investigated the impact of local adaptation on the reproductive traits and growth of giant kelp. They found evidence of local adaptation in different populations of the kelp species and quantified the risks associated with using certain populations for kelp restoration. The study also revealed that high latitude populations had reduced reproductive success through outbreeding, while low latitude populations showed preference for hybrid crosses. A heatwave had a significant effect on the mortality of sporophytes, with the exception of inbred crosses in the Peruvian population, suggesting the importance of genetic resources in low latitude populations under future ocean warming.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYCOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Leigh W. Tait, Francois Thoral, Matthew H. Pinkerton, Mads S. Thomsen, David R. Schiel
Summary: This study found that marine heatwaves had a significant impact on the coverage of giant kelp in New Zealand, especially following the most extreme event in 2017/18, with reductions observed across all regions. There was an important interaction between temperature and water clarity, showing that kelp loss was more severe when temperatures increased and water clarity was poor.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Oceanography
Stephen G. Monismith, Maha W. Alnajjar, C. Brock Woodson, Charles A. Boch, Arturo Hernandez, Leonardo Vazquez-Vera, Tom W. Bell, Fiorenza Micheli
Summary: This study investigates the changes in currents near Isla Natividad, Baja California, due to the density of giant kelp biomass. It found that the coastal currents are more affected by kelp density compared to cross-shore flows.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-OCEANS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Matias Araya, Jorge Rivas, Graciela Sepulveda, Camila Espinoza-Gonzalez, Sebastian Lira, Andres Meynard, Elodie Blanco, Nestor Escalona, Rosanna Ginocchio, Elizabeth Garrido-Ramirez, Loretto Contreras-Porcia
Summary: Seaweed biochar produced from Macrocystis pyrifera using slow pyrolysis process showed high efficiency in Cu2+ removal. Biochars produced at 600°C exhibited the highest surface areas and porosities. All biochars exhibited Langmuir behavior in adsorption isotherms, indicating a chemisorption process.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Stephen Monismith, Maha Alnajjar, Margaret Daly, Arnoldo Valle-Levinson, Braulio Juarez, Matheus Fagundes, Tom Bell, C. Brock Woodson
Summary: In this study, we propose an approach to estimate drag coefficients for tidal flows based on observed velocities and velocities without bottom friction. Using long-term measurements from Isla Nativdad, we find that kelp biomass has a significant effect on drag, while surface waves have little impact.
ESTUARIES AND COASTS
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Tom C. Bell, Kyle F. Cavanaugh, Vienna Saccomanno, Katherine Cavanaugh, Henry Houskeeper, Norah Eddy, Falk Schuetzenmeister, Nathaniel Rindlaub, Mary Gleason
Summary: Giant kelp and bull kelp forests are facing increasing risks from marine heatwave events, herbivore outbreaks, and alterations in the behavior of key herbivore predators. To address the challenge of analyzing satellite imagery data of these forests, we created a web-based tool called Kelpwatch. It allows researchers and managers to quantify kelp forest change, assess historical trends, and facilitate effective kelp forest management.
Article
Limnology
Sarah B. Traiger, Brian Cohn, Demetra Panos, Margaret Daly, Heidi K. Hirsh, Maria Martone, Isabella Gutierrez, David A. Mucciarone, Yuichiro Takeshita, Stephen G. Monismith, Robert B. Dunbar, Kerry J. Nickols
Summary: Research indicates that canopy-forming giant kelp can locally increase dissolved oxygen and pH in coastal ecosystems through photosynthesis. However, the limited spatial extent and magnitude of this effect suggest that kelp forests may have limited potential to mitigate acidification and hypoxia.
LIMNOLOGY AND OCEANOGRAPHY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Duong M. Le, Mathew J. Desmond, Daniel W. Pritchard, Christopher D. Hepburn
Summary: Rising ocean temperature is a major driver of kelp forest decline worldwide. This study investigated the effects of temperature on the early developmental stages of giant kelp, finding that increasing temperature positively correlated with spore release but had a negative effect on germ-tube growth. The settlement of spores was most affected by high temperatures. This research highlights the vulnerability of early life stages of giant kelp to rising ocean temperature and its implications for future ecosystem modeling.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ping Zou, Xia Yang, Yuan Yuan, Changliang Jing, Jianmin Cao, Ying Wang, Lin Zhang, Chengsheng Zhang, Yiqiang Li
Summary: A fucoidan extracted from Macrocystis pyrifera showed potential as a plant stimulator to enhance salt resistance, with optimal activity observed at concentrations of 0.5 and 1 mg/ml.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL MACROMOLECULES
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Schery Umanzor, Jose Sandoval-Gil, Mariana Sanchez-Barredo, Lydia B. Ladah, Mary-Mar Ramirez-Garcia, Jose Antonio Zertuche-Gonzalez
Summary: The study found that juvenile sporophytes of Macrocystis pyrifera are vulnerable to oxidative damage and reduced growth under simulated marine heatwave conditions, but they can partially recover to control values during the recovery period, showing high physiological resilience. However, the interaction of high temperature and nitrate scarcity can cause irreversible damage, leading to a decrease in photosynthetic capacity and highlighting potential limitations in the carbon balance of juvenile sporophytes.
JOURNAL OF PHYCOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Sara T. Gonzalez, Filipe Alberto, Gary Molano
Summary: Different populations of giant kelp exhibit distinct morphological variations, but the mechanism and environmental drivers for this variation are unclear. This study used whole-genome sequencing and SNP markers to assess the genetic divergence between giant kelp and integrated kelp in Chile and California. The results showed that giant kelp and integrated kelp are genetically distinguishable, with separation between hemispheres and within hemispheres, indicating convergent evolution separately in each hemisphere. This study provides novel insights into the genetic divergence and evolution of giant kelp ecomorphs.
Article
Plant Sciences
Joao Neiva, Ricardo Bermejo, Alba Medrano, Pol Capdevila, David Milla-Figueras, Pedro Afonso, Enric Ballesteros, Brahim Sabour, Donatella Serio, Eduardo Nobrega, Joao Soares, Jose Valdazo, Fernando Tuya, Martina Mulas, Alvaro Israel, Sofia S. Sadogurska, Michael D. Guiry, Gareth A. Pearson, Ester A. Serrao
Summary: This study provides new insights into the systematics, species delimitation, and biogeography of Cystoseira s.l. in the North-east Atlantic. By using molecular markers, the researchers identified 27 molecular operational taxonomic units, including previously unknown cryptic diversity, and proposed redefinitions, reinstatements, and recognitions of certain taxa.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PHYCOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Melisa G. G. Osborne, Gary Molano, Ariel Levi Simons, Valerie Dao, Brandon Ong, Brandon Vong, Anupam Singh, Gabriel J. J. Montecinos Arismendi, Filipe Alberto, Sergey V. V. Nuzhdin
Summary: The study investigates the microbial community of seaweed gametophytes and identifies key taxa correlated with increased biomass of mature sporophytes. This research provides valuable knowledge for the development of microbial inoculants that produce high-biomass seaweed cultivars to be used as biofuel feedstocks.
JOURNAL OF PHYCOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Marcio A. G. Coelho, Gareth A. Pearson, Joana R. H. Boavida, Diogo Paulo, Didier Aurelle, Sophie Arnaud-Haond, Daniel Gomez-Gras, Nathaniel Bensoussan, Paula Lopez-Sendino, Carlo Cerrano, Silvija Kipson, Tatjana Bakran-Petricioli, Eliana Ferretti, Cristina Linares, Joaquim Garrabou, Ester A. Serrao, Jean-Baptiste Ledoux
Summary: This study found clear differentiation between Atlantic and Mediterranean lineages of the octocoral genus Paramuricea previously identified as P. clavata. Additionally, it identified a potential speciation event within the Atlantic population of P. cf. grayi involving two color morphotypes. These findings have important implications for conservation planning and validate the usefulness of phylotranscriptomics in resolving evolutionary relationships in octocorals.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Sara T. Gonzalez, Filipe Alberto, Gary Molano
Summary: Different populations of giant kelp exhibit distinct morphological variations, but the mechanism and environmental drivers for this variation are unclear. This study used whole-genome sequencing and SNP markers to assess the genetic divergence between giant kelp and integrated kelp in Chile and California. The results showed that giant kelp and integrated kelp are genetically distinguishable, with separation between hemispheres and within hemispheres, indicating convergent evolution separately in each hemisphere. This study provides novel insights into the genetic divergence and evolution of giant kelp ecomorphs.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Lidiane P. Gouvea, Eliza Fragkopoulou, Kyle Cavanaugh, Ester A. Serrao, Miguel B. Araujo, Mark John Costello, E. H. Taraneh Westergerling, Jorge Assis
Summary: Through biophysical modeling and network analysis, we demonstrate that oceanographic connectivity can explain the genetic differentiation of mangrove populations, regardless of species, region, or genetic marker (significant regression models in 95% of cases, with an average R-square of 0.44 +/- 0.23 and Person's correlation of 0.65 +/- 0.17), systematically improving traditional isolation-by-distance models. Important connectivity indices also play a crucial role in explaining differentiation (R-square improvement of 0.06 +/- 0.07, up to 0.42). We further show that ocean currents produce skewed dispersal kernels for mangroves, highlighting the role of rare long-distance dispersal events in historical settlements.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ana I. Tavares, Jorge Assis, Patrick D. Larkin, Joel C. Creed, Karine Magalhaes, Paulo Horta, Aschwin Engelen, Noelo Cardoso, Castro Barbosa, Samuel Pontes, Aissa Regalla, Carmen Almada, Rogerio Ferreira, Ba Mamadou Abdoul, Sidina Ebaye, Mohammed Bourweiss, Carmen Van-Dunem dos Santos, Ana R. Patricio, Alexandra Teodosio, Rui Santos, Gareth A. Pearson, Ester A. Serrao
Summary: The genetic differentiation of the seagrass species Halodule wrightii is not predicted by simulated oceanographic transport, suggesting that active dispersal vectors like grazers play a role in its distribution.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Viktoria Balogh, Eliza Fragkopoulou, Ester A. Serrao, Jorge Assis
Summary: Species distribution data are crucial for monitoring biodiversity patterns and guiding conservation strategies. This study provides a quality-controlled dataset of cold-water coral diversity and distribution, which can be used by the scientific community to study biodiversity patterns and drivers, as well as by managers to guide conservation actions. The dataset represents the most up-to-date baseline for global cold-water coral diversity.
Article
Ecology
Lucilia S. Miranda, Silvia Tavares, Antonina dos Santos, Emanuel J. Goncalves, Ester A. Serrao, Marcio A. G. Coelho
Summary: This study reports for the first time the presence of the Lipkea species in Portugal, using data from citizen science platforms and collaboration between divers, scientists, and photographers. DNA analysis identified the species as Lipkearuspoliana, but there are similarities with Lipkeasturdzii, a species described in 1893 and never reported again. The study also provides ecological data, reviews records of Staurozoa in Portugal, and maps the global distribution of Lipkea.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Jose Diesel, Gary Molano, Gabriel J. Montecinos, Kelly Deweese, Sara Calhoun, Alan Kuo, Anna Lipzen, Asaf Salamov, Igor V. Grigoriev, Daniel C. Reed, Robert J. Miller, Sergey V. Nuzhdin, Filipe Alberto
Summary: The study presents a high-quality genome assembly of the giant kelp, Macrocystis pyrifera, using PacBio reads and Hi-C technology. The assembled genome is 537 MB in size, with 35 scaffolds and 188 contigs. Annotation of the genome identified 25,919 genes. Additionally, the study confirms the population structure of giant kelp using genetic variation data.
Article
Plant Sciences
Elena Varela-Alvarez, Michael D. Guiry, Ester A. Serrao
Summary: This study investigates the morphology, reproduction, and phylogenetic relationships of two species in the Bangiaceae family. Results show that despite their almost identical external morphology, they are not only distinct species but also belong to different genera.
CRYPTOGAMIE ALGOLOGIE
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Phillip B. Fenberg, Rodrigo Beas-Luna, Boris Igic, Moira A. Maclean, David A. Paz-Garcia, Peter T. Raimondi, Jacqueline L. Sones, Karolina M. Zarzyczny, Eric Sanford
Summary: The biogeography of predator-induced defences is understudied. This study found that the bent morphs of a temperate barnacle are primarily present in areas where they co-occur with range-expanding warm-water predators, and they exhibit size-structure.
JOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Nathan K. Tennies, Filipe Alberto
Summary: Giant kelp is a fast-growing, canopy-forming species that serves as the foundation of kelp forests in temperate reefs. Researchers have developed two simple metrics, decline proportion and pixel occupancy trend, to evaluate the decline and trends of giant kelp using the R package kelpdecline.
JOURNAL OF PHYCOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jorge Assis, Filipe Alberto, Erasmo C. Macaya, Nelson Castilho Coelho, Sylvain Faugeron, Gareth A. Pearson, Lydia Ladah, Daniel C. Reed, Peter Raimondi, Andres Mansilla, Paul Brickle, Giuseppe C. Zuccarello, Ester A. Serrao
Summary: This study aims to bridge the gap in understanding the impact of past climate-driven range shifts on intraspecific biodiversity in marine environments. By comparing genetic diversity and population structure with species distribution modeling, the researchers found that the global distribution of the giant kelp is indeed influenced by past climate changes. They also highlighted the importance of regional genetic groups in the conservation of giant kelp forests.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Luna M. van der Loos, Quinten Bafort, Samuel Bosch, Enric Ballesteros, Ignacio Barbara, Estibaliz Berecibar, Aurelie Blanfune, Kenny Bogaert, Silke Bouckenooghe, Charles-Francois Boudouresque, Juliet Brodie, Ester Cecere, Pilar Diaz-Tapia, Aschwin H. Engelen, Karl Gunnarson, Soha Hamdy Shabaka, Razy Hoffman, Vivian Husa, Alvaro Israel, Mart Karremans, Jessica Knoop, Line Le Gall, Christine A. Maggs, Frederic Mineur, Manuela Parente, Frank Perk, Antonella Petrocelli, Conxi Rodriguez-Prieto, Sandrine Ruitton, Marta Sanson, Ester A. Serrao, Adriano Sfriso, Kjersti Sjotun, Valerie Stiger-Pouvreau, Gwladys Surget, Ergun Taskin, Thierry Thibaut, Konstantinos Tsiamis, Lotte Van de Weghe, Marc Verlaque, Frederique Viard, Sofie Vranken, Frederik Leliaert, Olivier De Clerck
Summary: Effective monitoring of non-indigenous seaweeds is important, but there is still uncertainty about the status of many species. This study analysed the status of presumed non-indigenous seaweed species in the Mediterranean Sea, Northeast Atlantic Ocean, and Macaronesia. A list of 140 undisputed non-indigenous species was produced, while the status of 87 species remained unclear. The study also found significant variation in the diversity of non-indigenous species between geographic regions. The current measures and policies are insufficient to battle the introduction and spread of non-indigenous species in the study area.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PHYCOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Filipe R. Ceia, Nathalie C. Silva, Vitor H. Paiva, Lurdes Morais, Ester A. Serrao, Jaime A. Ramos
Summary: The breeding populations of the yellow-legged gull have increased significantly due to the increase in refuse dumps and fisheries discards. The population growth was controlled through population control measures and trophic ecology showed strong relationships with oceanographic parameters and fisheries landings. Despite sporadic events affecting breeding individuals, the population has been stabilized and even reduced.
