Characterizing potential resource use of sargasso-dominant sea wrack by terrestrial invertebrate fauna during sargasso influxes in South Florida

Iporac, Lowell Andrew R.; James, William R.; Collado‐Vides, Ligia

doi:10.1016/j.ecss.2023.108414

Cited by 1 publication

(1 citation statement)

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“…Low-biomass landings of sargasso are a beneficial subsidy to coastal environments by providing habitat for terrestrial arthropods and increasing nutrient availability to terrestrial plants [5,6]. However, high accumulations and subsequent decomposition produce a "brown tide" by releasing colored dissolved organic matter, increasing light attenuation while decreasing pH and oxygen levels and degrading water quality via increased Phycology 2024, 4 236 ammonium and leaching of heavy metal contaminants [7][8][9].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comprehensive Analysis of Biomass, Nutrient, and Heavy Metal Contributions of Pelagic Sargassum Species (Phaeophyceae) Inundations in South Florida

Hatt,

Bally,

Iporac

et al. 2024

Phycology

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Pelagic Sargassum landings (hereby referred to as sargasso) increased dramatically in 2011 throughout the equatorial tropical Atlantic due to the formation of the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt (GASB). Despite increasing reports, understanding of local abundances and vegetative characteristics, especially in South Florida, remains limited. From 2018 to 2021, sargasso was collected at two South Florida beaches, with additional sampling at a third beach to assess nutrient and heavy metal concentrations. Biomass landings varied greatly, with S. fluitans III predominant during the “peak season” (May to July) and S. natans I predominant in the “off season”, while S. natans VIII was consistently least abundant. This suggests that South Florida may receive sargasso from the Sargasso Sea during the low season and from the GASB during the peak sargasso season. Across all three morphotypes, mean nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) contents were 0.97% and 0.04% (dry weight), respectively. Out of the 16 heavy metals detected, our values were similar to those reported across the Caribbean. Arsenic was the most prevalent heavy metal, with sargasso containing epibionts having higher arsenic concentrations. These results provide comprehensive information to better understand the characteristics and potential origin of sargasso landings in South Florida.

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