Phaeophyceae) in the Sub-Antarctic Ecoregion of Magallanes, Chile
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Journal of Applied Phycology (2019) 31:905–913 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10811-018-1675-z VI REDEALGAS WORKSHOP (RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL) Variation of the photosynthetic activity and pigment composition in two morphotypes of Durvillaea antarctica (Phaeophyceae) in the sub-Antarctic ecoregion of Magallanes, Chile F. Méndez1,2,3 & J. Marambio1 & J. Ojeda1 & S. Rosenfeld1 & J. P. Rodríguez1,2,3 & F. Tala4,5 & A. Mansilla1,2 Received: 26 March 2018 /Revised and accepted: 19 October 2018 /Published online: 9 November 2018 # Springer Nature B.V. 2018 Abstract The environment of the sub-Antarctic ecoregion of Magallanes is highly heterogenous due to the influence of three oceans (Pacific, Atlantic, and Southern) and the effects of postglacial events such as the Last Glacial Maximum. In the sub-Antarctic ecoregion of Magallanes, the presence of two morphotypes of Durvillaea antarctica has recently been recorded that are related to the specific hydrodynamic configuration of the sites in the region. This study investigates the photosynthetic activity and pigment composition during two periods of the year in these two morphotypes of D. antarctica. One of them has broad and laminar fronds and occurs in wave-protected environments, while the other morphotype is characterized by cylindrical and elongated fronds and inhabits wave-exposed environments. The adult specimens of the Belongated-cylindrical^ morphotype were collected in Seno Otway (53.1° S, 71.5° W) and the specimens of the Blaminar^ morphotype in Bahía el Águila, San Isidro (53.7° S, 70.9° W). ETRmax, α,andEk as parameters of the ETR-E curves were higher for the Blaminar^ than the Belongated-cylindrical^ morphotype, resulting in significant values. The concentration of fucoxanthin was statistically higher for the morphotype Blaminar^ compared to the morphotype Belongated-cylindrical.^ Both morphotypes exhibited different photosynthetic activities, perhaps attributed to their morphology, floatation capacity, and environment. Keywords Durvillaea antarctica . Phaeophyceae . Morphology . Photosynthesis . Pigments . Sub-Antarctic . Ecophysiology Introduction gradients, different substrates, and seasonal variations in tem- perature, photoperiod, and irradiance (Dayton 1985; Silva and The sub-Antarctic ecoregion of Magallanes is a very hetero- Calvete 2002). This stems from the presence of fjords, chan- geneous environment characterized by oceanographic nels, postglacial lakes, and the shaping influence of postgla- cial events such as the Last Glacial Maximum (approximately between 23,000 and 19,000 years ago) (Fraser et al. 2009; ’ * F. Méndez Rosenfeld et al. 2015). The region s environmental heteroge- [email protected] neity has led to a benthic marine flora with a high degree of endemism and to species that are exposed to dynamic and 1 Laboratorio de Macroalgas Antárticas y Subantárticas (LMAS), continuous adaptive processes (Mansilla et al. 2013). As a Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Magallanes, Casilla 113-D, consequence of global climate change, these processes have Punta Arenas, Chile intensified (Rozzi et al. 2012). 2 Instituto de Ecología y Biodiversidad (IEB), Las Palmeras 3425, The climate of the sub-Antarctic ecoregion of Magallanes is 8320000 Santiago, Nuñoa, Chile markedly different from the climate of cold and sub-Arctic 3 Programa de Magister en Ciencias mención Manejo y Conservación temperate zones of the Northern Hemisphere (Rozzi et al. de Recursos Naturales en Ambientes Subantárticos, Universidad de 2012). In the high latitudes of the Southern Hemisphere, the Magallanes, Casilla 113-D, Punta Arenas, Chile photoperiod and the intensity of solar radiation show signifi- 4 Departamento de Biología Marina, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar, cant seasonal changes that determine variations in the diversity Universidad Católica del Norte, Larrondo 1281, Coquimbo, Chile and abundance of macroalgae (Ojeda et al. 2014). Solar radia- 5 Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo Tecnológico en Algas tion forms a gradient that decreases from the equator towards (CIDTA), Facultad de Ciencias del Mar, Universidad Católica del the poles and shows greater seasonal changes at high latitudes Norte, Larrondo 1281, Coquimbo, Chile 906 J Appl Phycol (2019) 31:905–913 than at low latitudes (Gunnarsson and Ingólfsonn 1995;Harley the surface of the sea (Hay 1979; Collantes et al. 2002). The 2002;Talaetal.2016). These latitudinal variations are impor- blade of D. antarctica has a medulla that expands partially or tant for species with wide distribution ranges and are important completely into a structure similar to honeycomb. These nu- as triggers of biogeographic distribution patterns. These occur merous small vacuole-like spaces allow buoyancy as the main through the effects of temperature on physiological perfor- strategy against environmental factors such as waves (Stevens mances such as photosynthesis (Bischof et al. 2006a, b; et al. 2002). This type corresponds to the species capable of Helmuth et al. 2006; Tala and Chow 2014). floating which has been described for the Chilean coast. In the Photosynthetic activity is directly related to the availability of sub-Antarctic ecoregion of Magallanes a new morphotype of light (Mansilla et al. 2016;Barinova2017). Solar radiation D. antarctica, which has not been sufficiently studied, has a strongly controls the zonation of macroalgae as it is crucial for short stipe, broad laminar fronds, and generally inhabits an their growth and distribution in benthic environments (Graiff environment protected from waves, has recently been reported et al. 2013;Talaetal.2016). High irradiances of photosyntheti- and collected, which could constitute either a new species or a cally active radiation (PAR) and ultraviolet (UV) radiation can new ecotype of D. antarctica (Méndez et al. 2017). This new affect macroalgae (Kinzie 1993; Rautenberger et al. 2013;Fraser morphotype is identical to some species of the genus 2016). At high latitudes, solar radiation is a limiting factor, which Durvillaea; without the ability of floating, it has been de- is why the acclimatization strategies of macroalgae are funda- scribed that they have adapted to environments without wave mental in responding to this abiotic factor. They adapt their pho- exposure (South and Hay 1979;Cheshireetal.1995; Fraser tosynthetic parameters (maximum electron transport rate, photo- et al. 2009;Fraseretal.2010; Fraser et al. 2012). synthetic efficiency, and saturation irradiance) and their content/ Knowledge about the ecophysiology of D. antarctica ratio of photosynthetic pigments (Tala and Chow 2014). is crucial for several reasons: (1) It explains the evolu- Among the macroalgae that dominate the exposed intertid- tionary adaptation to different environments, taking into al of the sub-Antarctic ecoregion of Magallanes, there are account the great environmental heterogeneity in extensive populations of the species Durvillaea antarctica Magallanes (Mansilla et al. 2016). (2) In the sub- (Chamisso)Hariot,alsocommonlyknowninChileas Antarctic region, the high variability of PAR and UV Bcochayuyo^ (Hay 1979; Fraser et al. 2010; Méndez et al. radiation and the photoperiod considerably influences 2017). Durvillaea antarctica is a brown alga belonging to the abundance and biomass of macroalgae in the south- the Ochrophyta Division (Phaeophyceae), which lives in cold ernmost region. Therefore, it is important to understand waters and is endemic to sub-Antarctic regions. This the process of photosynthetic activity (photosynthesis macroalgae has a circumpolar distribution in South America and concentration of pigments) that allows macroalgae (Tierra del Fuego, Falkland Islands/Malvinas), southern to acclimate to these environments (Bischof et al. Australia, Heard Islands, McDonald Islands, and New 2006a,b; Marambio et al. 2016). (3) The genus Zealand (Hoffmann and Santelices 1997;Fraseretal.2009, Durvillaea is a marine resource that has been studied 2012). In Chile, its distribution ranges from south of very little along the Chilean coast of Magallanes Coquimbo (29.9°S, 71.3° W) to the Diego Ramírez Islands (Mansilla et al. 2017). Moreover, it has socioeconomic (56.4° S, 68.7° W) (Santelices 1989; Ramírez and Santelices relevance at a national level and could generate new 1991; Cursach et al. 2014). The sub-Antarctic clade occurring opportunities for small businesses and artisanal fishing in the Magallanes region is genetically very different from the based on its biological properties (anticoagulants, antitu- clade of continental Chile (Fraser et al. 2010;Mansillaetal. mor and antiviral), (Matsuhiro et al. 1996; Kelly and 2017). Therefore, in accordance with these genetic differ- Brown 2000; Garrido and Parada 2008; Astorga-España ences, the existence of two different species should be consid- et al. 2017); it is also a valuable nutritional source for ered (Mansilla et al. 2017). Durvillaea antarctica grows on direct human consumption (Astorga-España et al. 2017). rocky substrates in the low intertidal down to a depth of ap- This study addresses the photosynthetic activity and com- proximately 10 or 15 m is typical in areas highly exposed to position of photosynthetic pigments in the two morphotypes waves (Mansilla et al. 2012) and occurs together with of D. antarctica, with the aim of determining whether differ- Lessonia spicata (formerly Lessonia nigrescens) (Mansilla ences exist in the photosynthetic performance as well as the et al. 2017). composition of main photosynthetic pigments and accessories