p Analyzing environmental factors that favor the growth of the invasive brown macroalga Rugulopteryx okamurae (Ochrophyta): The probable role of the nutrient excess

Mercado, Jesus M.; Gomez-Jakobsen, Francisco; Korbee, Nathalie; Aviles, Antonio; Bonomi-Barufi, Jose; Munoz, Maria; Reul, Andreas; Figueroa, Felix L.

Abstract

ABS T R A C T Time series of temperature, salinity and nutrients in the Strait of Gibraltar (SoG) were researched to analyze which factors explain the invasive success of Rugulopteryx okamurare, which has colonized wide coastal areas at the Spanish and Moroccan coasts since 2016. Temperature and salinity were higher in the SoG compared to its native habitat, implying that the alga is active during the whole seasonal cycle and grows optimally at the high salinities occurring in the SoG. Nitrate removal experiments indicate that the alga is able to linearly increase its N uptake rates following boost in nitrate concentration. Furthermore, R. okamurae N content ranged from 1.4% to 4.5% suggesting that this species has high N storage capacity potentially usable when the external N concen-tration decreases. These physiological characteristics would explain sharp growth of the alga in the SoG where high N concentrations are registered occasionally.

Más información

Título según WOS: ID WOS:000745068200008 Not found in local WOS DB
Título de la Revista: MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
Volumen: 174
Editorial: PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD
Fecha de publicación: 2022
DOI:

10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.113315

Notas: ISI