The effects of nitrogen and phosphorus enrichment on algal community development: Artificial mini-reefs on the Belize Barrier Reef sedimentary lagoon

Littler, Mark M.; Littler, Diane S.; Brooks, Barrett L.

doi:10.1016/j.hal.2009.11.002

Cited by 34 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 69 publications

(141 reference statements)

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“…Biofilm and early successional forms have been observed to respond rapidly to increases in nutrients (Littler 1980). Thus, a change in nutrient concentrations during early succession can potentially structure the whole assemblage (Littler et al 2010), and consequently alter its functional role within the benthic ecosystem (Osterling and Pihl 2001;Valiela et al 1997).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Changes in Coastal Benthic Algae Succession Trajectories and Assemblages Under Contrasting Nutrient and Grazer Loads

Fricke

Kopprio

Alemany

et al. 2015

Estuaries and Coasts

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Eutrophication plays a crucial role in coastal systems, driving changes in the composition and abundance of flora and fauna with consequent effects for the entire ecosystem. Sensitive to nutrient levels, micro-and macroalgal blooms serve as valuable indicators of eutrophication. The San Antonio Bay (Northern Argentinean Patagonia, 40°43′ S, 64°56′ W) provides an appropriate system to study in situ eutrophication processes on coastal communities. In a multiscale approach, using two different kind of settlement substrates (micro: polyethylene terephthalate, and macro: ceramic), the present study followed benthic algal dynamics over one year, distinguishing changes in natural succession and seasonality. Strong differences were found in the biofilm assemblages after three days, marked by tube dwelling diatoms and Cocconeis spp. under high nutrient-grazer conditions and needle like diatoms (e.g. Nitzschia spp., Tabularia spp.) under lower nutrient-grazer loads. The succession continued by the colonization of macroalgae, with a higher recruitment rate in the nutrient and grazer rich environment with a concomitant higher diversity. Our results show that under higher nutrientgrazer conditions natural benthic succession not only differs in trajectory but in its final taxa composition promoting higher biodiversity and biomass accumulation. In addition, taxa specific substrate preferences interfere with the observed eutrophication pattern, suggesting substrate dependant interrelations between the bloom forming taxa. These findings provide evidence that nutrient enrichment can not only affect an established assemblage but also affect the early succession stages, changing the succession trajectory and thus the final assemblage.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Changes in Coastal Benthic Algae Succession Trajectories and Assemblages Under Contrasting Nutrient and Grazer Loads

Fricke

Kopprio

Alemany

et al. 2015

Estuaries and Coasts

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“…Unlike most nutrient uptake systems, which follow Michaelis-Menten saturation-type kinetics, many studies suggest that for some algae the phosphate transport system has biphasic kinetics with saturation-type kinetics at low concentrations and a linear uptake response at high external phosphate concentrations. This has been shown for green (Portielje and Lijklema 1994), red (Friedlander and Dawes 1985;Littler et al 2010) and brown algae (Silkin and Chubchikova 2007). The linear phase most likely represents simple diffusion across the membrane (Lobban and Harrison 1994), although a novel enzymatic system has also been suggested (Silkin and Chubchikova 2007).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 87%

The effect of nutrient enrichment on the growth, nucleic acid concentrations, and elemental stoichiometry of coral reef macroalgae

Reef

Pandolfi

Lovelock

2012

Ecology and Evolution

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The growth rate hypothesis (GRH) links growth rates with organism elemental stoichiometry. Support for the GRH was found for many animal species, but less so for plants. This is the first study to test the GRH in macroalgae. Tropical coral reef macroalgae from three lineages, Caulerpa serrulata (Chlorophyta), Laurencia intricata (Rhodophyta), and Sargassum polyphyllum (Phaeophyceae) were grown enriched with nitrogen or phosphorous and under control conditions at Heron Island on the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Growth rate, photosynthesis, nucleic acid composition, and elemental stoichiometry were measured. Nutrient enrichment had positive effects on photosynthetic rates and on investment in RNA. However, growth rate was not correlated with either photosynthetic rates or RNA content; thus, we did not find support for the GRH in tropical macroalgae. Macroalgae, especially L. intricata, accumulated P to very high levels (>0.6% of dry weight). The growth rate response to tissue P concentrations was unimodal. Above 0.21%, P accumulation had negative effects on growth. Nitrogen was not stored, but evidence of futile cycling was observed. The capacity to store large amounts of P is probably an adaptation to the low and patchy nutrient environment of the tropical oceans.

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“…tissue evidenced higher availability and uptake of nitrogen in nutrient enriched treatments. In fact, similar results have been found by other authors where nutrient enrichment of marine systems has led to rapid uptake of nitrogen and consequently decrease of C:N ratio (Ferdie and Fourqurean, 2004;Littler et al, 2010). Thus, the experimental setting could be considered operative and reliable.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 84%

Effects of Multiple Ecological Drivers on Recruitment and Succession of Coral Reef Macroalgal Communities

Durán¹

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The effects of nitrogen and phosphorus enrichment on algal community development: Artificial mini-reefs on the Belize Barrier Reef sedimentary lagoon

Cited by 34 publications

References 69 publications

Changes in Coastal Benthic Algae Succession Trajectories and Assemblages Under Contrasting Nutrient and Grazer Loads

Changes in Coastal Benthic Algae Succession Trajectories and Assemblages Under Contrasting Nutrient and Grazer Loads

The effect of nutrient enrichment on the growth, nucleic acid concentrations, and elemental stoichiometry of coral reef macroalgae

Effects of Multiple Ecological Drivers on Recruitment and Succession of Coral Reef Macroalgal Communities

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