Epizoic Ulva attached to intertidal animals in the Subei intertidal zone are not the additional source of the famed Yellow Sea green tides

Abstract

Ulva usually attached to aquaculture rafts, rocks, and floating objects. Previous studies have shown that the world's largest green tides in the Yellow Sea originated from the attached Ulva on rafts. However, a large biomass of Ulva thalli has recently been found attached to Littorina sp. (periwinkles) in the Subei intertidal zone, but it is rarely observed on Bullacta exarata, Portunus sp., and other intertidal benthic animals. The population density of Littorina sp. on the Zhugen sand ridge is approximately 39.2 specimens/m2. A maximum of seven Ulva macroalgae were attached to one periwinkle, and an average of 1.24 Ulva macroalgae were attached to each periwinkle. To determine the contribution of epizoic Ulva on Littorina sp. to floating green tides, these macroalgae were identified with a molecular biology method using internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences. Results showed the Ulva attached to Littorina sp. comprised just one species, Ulva flexuosa. Epizoic Ulva attached to intertidal benthic animals in the Zhugen sand ridge does not appear to be the main source of the green tide (the only dominant species is Ulva prolifera) outbreaks in the Southern Yellow Sea.