Nutrient production in rhodolith beds: impact of a foundation species and its associates

Rhodolith primary and carbonate production in a changing ocean: The interplay of warming and nutrients

“…The lack of a positive response of photosynthesis to higher nutrient availability suggests that the studied rhodoliths may not be nutrient-limited under ambient conditions (see Turpin, 1991;Littler and Littler, 1992), likely due to the generally low nutrient demands of these organisms, as recently suggested by McConnico et al (2018). This assumption is supported by several of our findings.…”

“…4a, c). Thus, the tissue nitrogen content in this species, which was in the same range as found in other subtropical and temperate rhodoliths (0.13-0.27%, McConnico et al, 2018, Qui-Minet et al, 2018, followed the same pattern as the nitrogen concentration in the seawater, which also was recently reported for the temperate Lithothamnion corallioides (Qui-Minet et al, 2018). Secondly, the similar carbon tissue content in all treatments was contrary to what is normally found in nutrient-limited algae,…”

“…In this context, a wide range of beneficial and detrimental interactions have been described between macroalgae and their microbiomes, based on the exchange of nutrients, minerals and secondary metabolites (Hollants et al, 2012). Recently, it has been shown that rhodolith-associated bacterial communities are enriched in aerobic ammonia-oxidizing beta-proteobacteria and dissimilative sulfate-reducing delta-proteobacteria (Cavalcanti et al, 2014(Cavalcanti et al, , 2018, and another study suggested that associated bacteria might play a role in nutrient cycling (McConnico et al, 2018). Yet, so far no information is available about potential functions of associated bacterial communities among rhodoliths that might give some indications about possible differences between the two studied species.…”

The sea anemone Exaiptasia diaphana (Actiniaria: Aiptasiidae) associated to rhodoliths at Isla del Coco National Park, Costa Rica

“…King (2003) and others (Geller, Fitzgerald, & King, 2005) performed interesting experiments involving rhodoliths' movement as an inducer of pedal laceration. Since rhodoliths and their associates are vulnerable to climate change and other anthropogenic disturbances (McConnico, Hernández-Carmona, & Riosmena-Rodríguez, 2018), similar studies and others related to different aspects of anemone ecology in rhodoliths will allow a better understanding of the role of these algae and their importance in different marine ecosystems.…”

Cryptofauna associated with rhodoliths: Diversity is species‐specific and influenced by habitat

“…In tandem with understanding the structural roles of rhodoliths, there is a need to investigate the direct and indirect effects of rhodolith species on biodiversity and ecosystem processes including the food webs and energy flows associated with rhodolith beds (e.g., Grall et al, 2006), cycling of nutrients (e.g., McConnico et al, 2018), the provision of microhabitats for settlement and recruitment (e.g., Meihoub Berlandi et al, 2012;Prata et al, 2017). The multiple roles and the multiple scales over which interactions occur are exemplified by the role of rhodoliths as refugia for associated species-whether serving as a refuge for escape from predation of scallops within rhodolith beds (e.g., Kamenos et al, 2004), or providing structure for colonisation by species from ˃1 mm (e.g., Teichert, 2014), or serving as holobionts supporting a diverse biota of associated microscopic life stages (e.g., Fredericq et al, 2019;Krayesky-Self et al, 2017).…”