Nuisance Didymosphenia Geminata Blooms in the Argentinean Patagonia: Status and Current Research Trends

Aquatic Ecosystem Health & Management ISSN: 1463-4988 (Print) 1539-4077 (Online) Journal homepage: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/uaem20 Nuisance Didymosphenia geminata blooms in the Argentinean Patagonia: Status and current research trends Julieta M. Manrique, Noelia M. Uyua, Gabriel A. Bauer, Norma H. Santinelli, Gabriela M. Ayestarán, Silvia E. Sala, A. Viviana Sastre, Leandro R. Jones & Brian A. Whitton To cite this article: Julieta M. Manrique, Noelia M. Uyua, Gabriel A. Bauer, Norma H. Santinelli, Gabriela M. Ayestarán, Silvia E. Sala, A. Viviana Sastre, Leandro R. Jones & Brian A. Whitton (2017) Nuisance Didymosphenia geminata blooms in the Argentinean Patagonia: Status and current research trends, Aquatic Ecosystem Health & Management, 20:4, 361-368, DOI: 10.1080/14634988.2017.1406269 To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.1080/14634988.2017.1406269 Accepted author version posted online: 20 Nov 2017. Published online: 20 Nov 2017. Submit your article to this journal Article views: 30 View related articles View Crossmark data Full Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at http://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?journalCode=uaem20 Nuisance Didymosphenia geminata blooms in the Argentinean Patagonia: Status and current research trends Julieta M. Manrique,1,2,* Noelia M. Uyua,2,** Gabriel A. Bauer,3 Norma H. Santinelli,4 Gabriela M. Ayestaran,4 Silvia E. Sala,5 A. Viviana Sastre,4 Leandro R. Jones,1,2 and Brian A. Whitton6 1Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientıficas y Tecnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina 2Laboratorio de Virologıa y Genetica Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales sede Trelew, Universidad Nacio- nal de la Patagonia San Juan Bosco, Patagonia, Argentina 3Administracion de Parques Nacionales – Laboratorio de Investigaciones en Evolucion y Biodiversidad, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales sede Esquel, Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia San Juan Bosco, Patagonia, Argentina 4Laboratorio de Hidrobiologıa, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales sede Trelew, Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia San Juan Bosco, Trelew Chubut (CP9100), Patagonia, Argentina 5Departamento Cientıfico Ficologıa, Museo de La Plata, Universidad de La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina 6Department of Bioscience, Durham University, Durham DH1 3LE, UK *Corresponding author: [email protected] Large nuisance blooms of Didymosphenia geminata have become increasingly widespread in Patagonia. Although the first published account for South America was in 1964, reports of large growths in Chile and Argentina commenced around 2010. Since then, these blooms have been observed all along the Andes region to the south of parallel 42S. General surveys are needed to help provide an explanation. Possibilities include one or more new genetic variants or responses of local populations to global environmental changes. Electron microscopy of material from the Argentinean Patagonia revealed marked differences between regions, though it is unclear how much local factors and/or variations in life cycle contribute. Thus, we are approaching the problem from a molecular perspective, which we hope will help to overcome this limitation. Initial studies showed that D. geminata seems to be highly recalcitrant to DNA extraction, thus hindering the survey of molecular markers. We have now developed an improved DNA extraction technique for Didymosphenia mats, which markedly outperforms other techniques. However, endpoint polymerase chain reaction analyses suggest the persistence of polymerase chain reaction inhibitors in the samples, highlighting the need of further improvements for quantitative studies. Keywords: diatom, invasions, Argentina, phylogeography **Current affiliation: Laboratorio de Hidrobiologıa, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales sede Trelew, Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia San Juan Bosco, Patagonia, Argentina 361 Aquatic Ecosystem Health & Management, 20(4):361–368, 2017. Copyright Ó 2017 AEHMS. ISSN: 1463-4988 print / 1539-4077 online DOI: 10.1080/14634988.2017.1406269 362 Manrique et al./Aquatic Ecosystem Health and Management 20 (2017) 361–368 Introduction recent papers have revealed a significant, negative relationship between P availability and D. gemi- Didymosphenia geminata (Lyngbye) Schmidt is nata thriving (Montecino et al., 2016; Jackson an epilithic and epiphytic diatom in the et al., 2016). Together, these results suggest the Cymbellales (Bacillariophyta) that has shown hypothesis that D. geminata makes very effective great increases in many countries in recent years use of relatively high concentrations of organic (Blanco and Ector, 2009; Whitton et al., 2009). P in late winter and spring. Subsequently it is then This diatom is characterized by its ability to well adapted to maintain high populations for develop massive colonies that can cover large some months when P concentrations are much stretches of river bed and submerged vegetation lower. and sometimes the marginal zones of lakes, thus The intense interest in D. geminata which jeopardizing the natural communities at those occurred as a result of its discovery in New environments (James and Chipps, 2016; Segura, Zealand in 2004 and the suggestion that it was 2011; Whitton et al., 2009). Although they pose invasive there (Biggs et al., 2006) has subse- no threat to human health, D. geminata blooms quently led to the assumption that it is an invader can harm recreational and industrial activities, elsewhere. Currently this is far from being pose problems for water management and have a resolved unambiguously, but what is clear is that negative impact on the invaded ecosystems several rivers have been studied sufficiently care- (Watson et al., 2015). fully to be certain that there have been major Different explanations for the mass growths increases. The following provides a brief account have been proposed and the evidence up to early of the situation for Argentina and Chile. 2015 was reviewed by Watson et al. (2015), which provides a source for recent literature. Based on their study of an upland stream draining peaty Reports in Chile and Argentina moorland in England, Ellwood and Whitton become frequent in about 2010 (2007) concluded that the ability to make effective use of the relatively high concentrations of organic The first historical report of D. geminata in phosphate which occurred in spring was important South America is that of Asprey et al. (1964). It for the diatom. Colonies showed very high phos- was included among the “very rare species,” phomonoesterase and phosphodiesterase activity having been observed at only two out of eight and staining indicated that the upper part of the sites surveyed, Sarmiento Lake and Los Cisnes stalks was the main site for the phosphomonoester- River. Samples were, however, only taken from ase activity. This was studied further by Aboal the plankton caught with a very coarse net, et al. (2012). Where measurements have been which did not survey the typical environment of made in other studies of phosphate in the water of D. geminata. Material was subsequently shown rivers with D. geminata, the predominant form of to one of the present authors (BAW) and posi- phosphate has usually been organic. This and a tively identified. Apart from a single report for range of different types of information about phos- the Mejillones River in Chile (Rivera and Geba- phate release from peat led Ellwood and Whitton uer, 1989), no further mention of its occurrence (2007) to suggest that the widespread increases in appeared until massive blooms were reported to D. geminata may be associated with climatic occur during 2010 in the rivers Futaleufuand change leading to increased phosphate release in Espolon and the Cea Creek in Chile (Segura, spring. A link between D. geminata blooms and 2011). Subsequently, its presence has been climatic warming has been also highlighted by reported for the Chilean rivers of Risopatron, Taylor and Bothwell (2014). Several studies have Figueroa, Pico, Nirehuao,e Emperador Guillermo, indicated the importance of the dense mass of long Simpson, Aysen,D.LagoMonreal,Cochrane, stalks for retaining as well as accumulating Baker, Yelcho, Espolon, Bellavista, Noroeste, nutrients, especially phosphate, within the colo- Llanquihue and Bıo Bıo (Khan-Bureau et al., nies. In addition, Kilroy and Bothwell (2011) 2016; Rivera et al., 2013). observed a relationship between nutrients avail- In Argentina, the alga was first recorded in 2010 ability and D. geminata division rates, and two in the Futaleufu River, five months after its Manrique et al./Aquatic Ecosystem Health and Management 20 (2017) 361–368 363 discovery in Chile downstream in the same river dispersion of a new genetic variant/s or to the basin. It was sparse from late August – early increase of local populations. September (austral winter), but developed massive Frustules from the Argentinean Chubut Prov- blooms covering up to 30% of the river bed from ince blooms were analyzed morphologically and about December to April (austral spring and sum- compared with published data from Chile and mer) (Sastre et al., 2013). Since then, the alga other countries (Rivera et al., 2013; Uyua et al., appears to have undergone a very rapid expansion 2016). Morphological differences were found north to Neuquen and Rıo Negro Provinces (Abelli between locations. Further genetic studies are Bonardi et al., 2012; Beamud et al., 2013) and needed to assist understanding of morphological south to the southern end of the continent, the Rıo differences and hence also the alga’s

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