Abstract
BackgroundDuring a biodiversity survey of Béal an Mhuirthead, Co. Mayo, a small population of Laminaria ochroleuca Bachelot de Pylaie was discovered in a semi-protected cove on the northwest part of the headland among a mixed macroalgal assemblage including the kelps Laminaria digitata and Saccharina latissima. This is the first record of this southern European species in Irish waters.MethodsIndividuals were morphologically identified by their smooth stipes, conical, claw-like holdfasts, broad golden blades and all regions of the thallus were devoid of epibiota. Individual L. ochroleuca were genetically identified using the mitochondrial atp8 gene, and all belonged to the same haplotype previously found in France and Portugal.ResultsUsing 12 microsatellite loci, we found 34 alleles from 15 genotyped sporophytes. Multilocus estimates of allelic diversity and expected heterozygosity were comparable to sites sampled in the Iberian Peninsula (0.427 and 0.562 on average respectively) despite strong genetic differentiation between Scots Port and other sites throughout the known European range. There was a general trend of heterozygote excess which may indicate recent admixture following a founder event(s).ConclusionsThe appearance of this southern European kelp species raises many questions including i) how widely distributed it is in Ireland, ii) how it arrived at this northwestern point of the country if it is not widely distributed in Ireland, and iii) whether it can withstand low winter temperatures L. ochroleuca was previously thought not to endure. More detailed surveys in Irish kelp forests should take place to determine the distribution of this kelp and its impact on the Irish kelp forest ecosystem.
Highlights
Kelp forests along European coastlines are composed of stipitate kelps in the Laminariales as well as one member of the Tilopteridales, Saccorhiza polyschides
Most subtidal communities from the United Kingdom (UK) and Ireland northward are dominated by the boreal kelp Laminaria hyperborea (Gunnerus) Foslie (Araújo et al, 2016)
In the southern UK, kelp forests include a Lusitanian species, Laminaria ochroleuca Bachelot De la Pylaie, that is found from the lower limit of the intertidal
Summary
Kelp forests along European coastlines are composed of stipitate kelps in the Laminariales as well as one member of the Tilopteridales, Saccorhiza polyschides. In the southern UK, kelp forests include a Lusitanian species, Laminaria ochroleuca Bachelot De la Pylaie, that is found from the lower limit of the intertidal. During a biodiversity survey of Béal an Mhuirthead, Co. Mayo, a small population of Laminaria ochroleuca Bachelot de Pylaie was discovered in a semi-protected cove on the northwest part of the headland among a mixed macroalgal assemblage including the kelps Laminaria digitata and Saccharina latissima. A small population of Laminaria ochroleuca Bachelot de Pylaie was discovered in a semi-protected cove on the northwest part of the headland among a mixed macroalgal assemblage including the kelps Laminaria digitata and Saccharina latissima This is the first record of this southern European species in Irish waters
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