Mpariso Ing of Nt C70 S G in Sitk So
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mpariso ing of nt C70 S g in Sitk So ska S 6 AlaskaSea Grant Colic e Pnig»u» 8 Jriing 11 University ol Alaska Fa»hanks 1'airhanks, A laska 99775-5 0 907! 474-7086 A Comparisonof TwoRearing Sites of the Giant KelpMacrocysris integrifolia in Sitka Sound, Alaska SamuelH. Rahung Alaska Aquaculture1»corporated P,O. Box 1288 Wrangeil. Alaska 99929 ~r< AK-N r-90 02 1990 Pnee: $3.SO Elmer E. RasmusonLibrary Cataloging-in-PublicationData Rabung, Samuel H. A comparisonof two rearingsites of thegiant kelp Macrocystis integrifolia in Sitka Sound, Alaska. AK-S G-90-02! 1. Macrocystis integrifolia. 2. Kelps. 3. Marine algae--Alaska Sitka Sound. I. Alaska Sea Grant College Program. II. Title, III. Series: Alaska sea grant report; 90-02. QK569.L53R33 1990 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This publicationwas produced by theAlaska Sea Grant College Program, Cover design andartwork is by KarenLundquist, text formatting is by RuthOlson, and editing is by Sue Keller. Alaska SeaGrant is cooperativelysupported by the U.S. Departmentof Commerce, NOAA Office of SeaGrant and Extramural Programs, under grant number NA86AA-D- SG041,project number A/75-01; and by theUniversity of Alaskawith fundsappropriated by the state, Samuel Rabung submitted this paper to the Aquatic ResourcesDepartment, Sheldon Jackson College, Sitka, Alaska, as a senior thesis in December 1987. The Universityof A]askaFairbanks provides equal education and employmcnt tor all, regardlessof race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, statusas a Vietnam era or disabled veteran, marital status,changes in marital status,pregnancy, or parenthoodpursuant to applicablestate and federal laws. TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract I Introduction I Background Information I Scopeof the Study 2 Biologyof Giant Kelp 2 Methods 6 Site Selection 6 Transplanting Sporophytes 8 Testi ng Environmental Conditions 8 Reproductionwith Sporophylls 9 LaboratoryCulture of Gametophytes 10 Results I I Discussion and Recommendations I 3 References 20 Alaska Kelp Rearing Sites 1 ABSTRACT In orderto test the suitabilityof a sitefor the rearingof Macrocystisintegrifolia, ten sporophyteswere transplanted from a wildpatch at WhitingHarbor, Sitka, Alaska, to a site locatedbehind the Sheldon Jackson College salmon hatchery in Sitka.Growth and survival werecompared at thelocations from April 4 toMay 28, 1987. Growth at WhitingHarbor was significantly greaterthan growth at SheldonJackson College SJC!.A freshwaterlens at theSJC site is thoughtto haveimpaired growth of theupper blades on theplants, For thisreason the S JCsite is notsuitable for M. integrifolia. Attemptswere made to artificiallyculture M.integrifolia at the S JCfacility. Culturing from sporerelease through gametophyte stages to maturationand zygote fertilization was successful.However, culturing of thenew sporophytes was not successful. INTROI3UCTION Background Information The giantkelp, Macrocystis integrifolia Bory, has the potentialto becomea major contributorto future renewableenergy resources as well asto food productionfor the increasingworld population. Experimental sea farms for producing food and energy have beendesigned and some testing has been undertaken to develop the needed technology for utilizingMacrocystis in thismanner Harger and Neushul 1983, Chapman and Chapman 1980,Wise andSylvestri 1976!, Theprincipal industrial use of Macrocystisat presentis theproduction of alginsand alginatesfor usein variousindustries such as textiles,paper and cardboard, paint, pharmaceuticals,plastics, and especially the food industry in America,Historical records showthat the use of seaweedsin agricultureis a veryold andwidespread practice wherever there are rich supplies.This involves their use not only as foodfor animals, but also as fertilizerfor thesoil Chapmanand Chapman 1980, Sleeper 1980, North 1976,1971!. The principalcomponents of the edible algae are carbohydrates, small quantities of proteinand fat, ash,and water 80-90percent!, as well asmany essential trace elements Rosell and Srivastava1985, Chapman and Chapman1980, North 1971!. Macrocystishas been used traditionally as a foodsource by theNative peoples along both coastsof thePacific, especially when coated by herringspawn Shields et al. 1985!.At present,herring roe-on-kelp is a rnultirnilliondollar industry with themajority being consumed in Japan Whyte 1979!, 2 Alaska Ketp Rear'iiig Sites Macrocystishas traditionally been harvested from wild stocks;only recently have attempts beenmade at culturingthe plant. Harvest strategies have been developed for somewild stocks Coon 1982!, and restoration of wild stocksand habitat irnprovernent programs have been initiated to increase abundancein soine areas. Restoration and habitat improvementinclude removing sea urchins and other predators, removing competitor plants,transplanting, creating artificial substrate, and culturing and seeding techniques Fosterand Schiel 1985, Druehl 1979, Wilson et al. 1979,North 1976!. Thererecently has been increased interest in re-opening a herring roe-on-kelp fishery in southeastAlaska, It is generallyassumed that such a fisherywould rely on the mariculture ofkelp because of the damage done to wild stocks during the last roe-on-kelp fishery in the Sitkaarea in the1960s Stekoll 1987!, The roe-on-kelp market in Japanpays the highest price,up to $14a pound,for roe-on-Macrocystis;therefore the culture of Macrocystiswill bethe main component of thenew fishery {Stekoll 1987!, This new fishery, however, is dependenton locating an adequate herring roe resource that has not yet been allocated to a fishery Pierce1987!. There is currentlya herringroe-on-kelp fishery in PrinceWilliam Soundwhich relieson wild M. integrifolia harvestedin the Sitkaarea. These fishermen haveexpressed great interest in thepossibility of buyingcultured Macrocystis. Scope of the Study SheldonJackson College in Sitkais developinga.mariculture program which includes the cultureof kelps.The SJCkelp cultureprogram includes developing a mariculture laboratoryfacility but needs an ocean rearing area to complete the rearing cycle of M. integrifolia.An area as close to the laboratory aspossible would be convenient, and easy to supervise.The area immediately in front of theS JC hatchery appeared to meet these needs. SinceM. integrifoliawas not foundthere, this study was conducted to determinethe suitabilityof thesite for culturing this plant. For this study I testedthe SJC site by {1! transplantingwhole sporophytes to the SJC site and coinparing growth and survival and environmentalconditions with a controlsite, and {2! culturingM. integrifoliain the laboratory.I did not, however,outplant young sporophytes at the SJCsite and at the control site for comparinggrowth and survival. Biology of Giant Kelp Macrocystisintegrifolia ranges from Monterey, California, to Sitka,Alaska. The plants growon rocks in thelower-most intertidal and upper subtidal zones to a depthof about8 meters,in areasclose to theopen ocean but not exposed directly to heavysurf Scagel 1963, 1967!. Thedescription v;uies with latitude and locale, but generallyM. integrifoliais oneof the largestbrown algae in thesporophyte phase Figure 1!, and is deep brown to yellowin Alaska Kelp Rearing Sites 3 apic scimit approximately I m Fi ' gure l.. Semi-diagrammatic sketchof Macroacrocystis s integrifolia from Coon and Roland 1980!, 4 Alaska Kelp Rearing Sites color.It hasa strap-shapedcreeping rhizome, 2-4 cm wide. The rhizome is profuselyand dichotomouslybranched, and is attachedclosely to the substrateby branchedroot-like holdfastswhich arise from the margins,Numerous erect main stipesarise from the rhizome.The stipes are slender, up to 1 cmin diameterand up to 30 m long.Leaf-like branches blades! arise at intervals along the stipe. The blades are flattened, 25-35 cm long andup to 5 cmwide longerand up to 30 cm widein SitkaSound! with irregularly furrowedsurfaces and toothed margins. The blades taper gradually to theend and are abruptlyrounded at thebase to a sphericalor ovalfloat pneumatocyst!at the point of attachmentonthe stipe. The terminal blade, located at the apex {apical scimitar} of thestipe, is split at thebase with severalnew leaf-'like branches in variousstages of separation Scagel 1967!. Like all giantkelps, M, integrifoliaexhibits complete alternation of generations,and both thegametophyte and sporophyte can be perennial Figure 2!. Thesporophyte phase can live for 16to 30 yearsand the gametophyte phase in thevegetative form! canlive threeto four years. Thegametophyte phase is microscopicand haploid and germinates from motile spores of sporophylls,which are specialized blades of thesporophyte. Release of sporestakes place whenthe walls of the sporangiaweaken and rupture, creating thin, light areason the sporophyll.The spores settle and lose their fiagella within 12hours of release,The spores germinatewithin three days and produce durnbell-shaped gametophytes, Thevegetative, filamentous form of thegametophyte is produced in low light or low nutrientconditions. This form is few celledand can live threeto four years.It is seen growingon rocks in the intertidalzone as brown "slime." In the vegetativeform, the gametophytecannot reproduce. Thereproductive form of thegametophyte is produced in highlight intensity conditions. Thefemale may be unicellular with anoogonium, while the male is multicellular-10 cells!.Fertilization is oogamous,with themale bi-fiagellated sperm swimming to the femaleoogonium. The male gametophyte degenerates after fertilization, while thefernale persistsuntil thesporophyte germinates.