Productivity of kelp (Laminaria spp.) near the southern limit in the Northwestern Atlantic Ocean

Brady-Champbell, MM; Campbell, D. B.; Harlin, M. M.

doi:10.3354/meps018079

Cited by 55 publications

(41 citation statements)

References 20 publications

(30 reference statements)

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“…The kelps Saccharina longicruris and Laminaria digitata exhibit a distinct annual cycle of primary productivity in the Northwest Atlantic, with a spring peak and seasonal low in late fall/winter (Mann 1972a, Chapman & Craigie 1977, Gagné et al 1982, Brady-Campbell et al 1984. This cycle is driven by nutrient dynamics in the water column, which in turn are linked to ocean temperature, wave action and site exposure (Chapman & Craigie 1977, Gerard & Mann 1979, Dobrynin et al 2010.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Detrital production in Nova Scotian kelp beds: patterns and processes

Krumhansl¹,

Scheibling²

2011

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

111

108

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Connectivity via the transport of detrital material from areas of high to low productivity may be an important determinant of secondary productivity and biodiversity in receiving communities. On the Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia, detritus exported from subtidal kelp beds contributes to food webs in communities inhabiting deeper waters offshore. To estimate the amount of energy available via this pathway, we measured rates of detrital production via erosion of kelp blades in kelp beds at 5 sites varying in wave exposure. Specifically, we measured productivity and erosion of the 2 dominant species of kelp, Laminaria digitata and Saccharina longicruris, over 16 mo. We also examined the effect of environmental and biological factors on erosion rates, including temperature, wave exposure, grazing by snails and cover by the invasive bryozoan Membranipora membranacea. We observed clear seasonal and spatial patterns in productivity, with the highest production in spring. Erosion rate was highly variable across sites and seasons, and was strongly related to the cover of M. membranacea and the intensity of snail grazing at the distal end of kelp blades. Both factors cause tissue degradation, abrasions and perforations that weaken blades. Erosion rate was also positively related to water temperature and site exposure. Annual detrital production from the erosion of kelp blades increased linearly with kelp bed biomass, and ranged from 0.5 to 1.71 kg dry weight m -2 (150-513 g C m -2 ) across sites. These rates equal or exceed annual phytoplankton production off the Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia and estimates of detrital production in seagrass beds in North America.KEY WORDS: Detritus · Grazing · Invasive species · Kelp bed · Laminaria digitata · Membranipora membranacea · Productivity · Saccharina longicruris Resale or republication not permitted without written consent of the publisherMar Ecol Prog Ser 421: [67][68][69][70][71][72][73][74][75][76][77][78][79][80][81][82] 2011 The interaction between native and introduced species is another area of expanding interest and concern among marine ecologists and resource managers, as evidence of the negative impacts of biological invasions accumulates (Thomsen et al. 2009, Sorte et al. 2010. This research has primarily addressed the direct effects of introductions on native populations and the resulting changes in biodiversity and ecosystem function (Eastwood et al. 2007, Galil 2007, Schaffelke & Hewitt 2007. Indirect effects on the dynamics of material and energy exchange between invaded and adjacent native communities are largely unknown.Kelp ecosystems are amongst the most productive in the world (Mann 1972a, Smith 1988. In Nova Scotia, Canada, kelp beds often are located next to sea urchin barrens, characterized by low productivity and coralline-algal-dominated assemblages (Chapman 1981, Mann 1982, Scheibling et al. 1999. The faunal assemblages that inhabit these barrens (Balch & Scheibling 2000, Knip & Scheibling 2007 and adjacent sedimentary habitats in deeper ...

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Detrital production in Nova Scotian kelp beds: patterns and processes

Krumhansl¹,

Scheibling²

2011

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

111

108

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“…Aquat Biol 13: 163-173, 2011 164 na vincta is the only mesograzer known to consume macroscopic kelp sporophytes (Brady-Campbell et al 1984, Johnson & Mann 1986. On the Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia, L. vincta is seasonally abundant in kelp beds, with peak densities (up to 2000 individuals m −2 ) during recruitment in February, and seasonal lows between August and October (John son & Mann 1986).…”

Section: Resale or Republication Not Permitted Without Written Consenmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, in areas where sea urchins are rare or absent, mesograzers may be the dominant herbivores (Kangas et al 1982, Johnson & Mann 1986, Duggins et al 2001, Chenelot & Konar 2007). In the northwest Atlantic, the gastropod Lacu -na vincta is the only mesograzer known to consume macroscopic kelp sporophytes (Brady-Campbell et al 1984, Johnson & Mann 1986). On the Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia, L. vincta is seasonally abundant in kelp beds, with peak densities (up to 2000 individuals m −2 ) during recruitment in February, and seasonal lows between August and October (John son & Mann 1986).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spatial and temporal variation in grazing damage by the gastropod Lacuna vincta in Nova Scotian kelp beds

Krumhansl¹,

Scheibling²

2011

Aquat. Biol.

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Population increases of the gastropod Lacuna vincta have been associated with significant damage to kelp blades and decreases in kelp biomass in subtidal kelp beds off Nova Scotia, Canada. We measured the total level and along-blade distribution of grazing damage by Lacuna vincta on the dominant kelp species at 5 sites in Nova Scotia, Canada, over a 15 mo period. Grazing was typically low or absent in the basal regions of blades, consistent with seasonal fluctuations in growth and physical properties of blade tissues. Grazing was largely concentrated in middle and distal sections, although this distribution varied with site exposure and over time. The cover of the invasive bryozoan Membranipora membranacea on the surface of kelp blades did not have a strong effect on grazing by L. vincta. The total level of grazing damage (max. 1% of blade area for Saccharina longicruris and 1.5% for Laminaria digitata) varied seasonally, with peaks in September at some sites. Spatial variation was driven in part by a negative relationship with site exposure. In a field experiment, simulated grazing damage that exceeded a threshold value of 0.5 to 1.0% of blade area caused a significant increase in blade loss during a period of heavy wave action due to a passing hurricane. Our results show that direct reductions in kelp biomass through grazing by L. vincta are relatively small, but can indirectly lead to significant losses of kelp biomass during large wave events. KEY WORDS: Lacuna vincta · Laminaria digitata · Saccharina longicruris · Grazing · Mesograzers · Kelp beds · Detritus · Membranipora membranacea Resale or republication not permitted without written consent of the publisherAquat Biol 13: 163-173, 2011 164 na vincta is the only mesograzer known to consume macroscopic kelp sporophytes (Brady-Campbell et al. 1984, Johnson & Mann 1986. On the Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia, L. vincta is seasonally abundant in kelp beds, with peak densities (up to 2000 individuals m −2 ) during recruitment in February, and seasonal lows between August and October (John son & Mann 1986). L. vincta preferentially grazes kelps (Chavanich & Harris 2002), creating perforations or superficial excavations on the surface of blades. Johnson & Mann (1986) estimated that the cumulative effect of grazing by L. vincta was a removal of only 0.05% of standing blade biomass of Saccharina (=Laminaria) longicruris in a kelp bed in St. Margarets Bay, Nova Scotia. However, population explosions of L. vincta in the Gulf of Maine have been associated with high levels of damage to kelp blades and canopy loss (Fralick et al. 1974). linked variation in the rate of kelp blade fragmentation and erosion to damage along the distal ends of blades, suggesting that grazing by L. vincta can indirectly decrease kelp biomass and increase detrital production.Spatial and temporal variation in grazing damage to kelps and other macroalgae in shallow marine habitats is caused by various abiotic and biotic factors. Wave exposure generally has a negative effect on gr...

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“…comm. ) and for the bay by Brady-Campbell et al (1984) using biomass increments and estimates of standing crop turnover Exclusive of pelagic respiration in the case of Narragansett Bay toplankton or macrophytes within the lagoon, or might be imported from offshore waters or adjoining marshes. A preliminary comparison of particulate carbon concentrations within the lagoon and in offshore waters suggests that the lagoon is more likely to be exporting carbon to offshore waters (Nowicki 1983).…”

Section: Calculation Of a Carbon Budget For Potter Pondmentioning

confidence: 99%

Benthic community metabolism in a coastal lagoon ecosystem

Nowicki¹,

Nixon²

1985

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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Measurements of benthic oxygen production and consumption at 3 stations over a n annual cycle in a shallow (mean depth = 0.7 m) coastal lagoon on the Rhode Island (USA) coast provide evidence that shallow benthic communities may consume more organic matter than can b e provided by impressive rates of in situ epifloral production. While sandy sediment areas in Potter Pond lagoon showed a net daytime production of about 140 g C m-* y r l , the more extensive areas of fine-grained sediment did not show any significant amount of net benthic daytime production annually. Moreover when nighttime respiratory costs were included, the lagoon benthos a s a whole showed a net organic consumption of 30 g C m-2 y r l in spite of a net annual daytime production rate of 50 g C mS y r l . Rates of in situ oxygen uptake by fine-grained lagoon sediments in the dark were not separable from those of similar sediments in much deeper (mean = 8.6 m) Narragansett Bay. For the lagoon a s a whole, the benthos consumed about 40 to 5 0 % of the combined primary production by phytoplankton, macrophytes and benthic epiflora. This partitioning is slmilar to that found in deeper, plankton-based systems with completely heterotrophic bottom communities.

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Productivity of kelp (Laminaria spp.) near the southern limit in the Northwestern Atlantic Ocean

Cited by 55 publications

References 20 publications

Detrital production in Nova Scotian kelp beds: patterns and processes

Detrital production in Nova Scotian kelp beds: patterns and processes

Spatial and temporal variation in grazing damage by the gastropod Lacuna vincta in Nova Scotian kelp beds

Benthic community metabolism in a coastal lagoon ecosystem

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