What is it about?
Spores, the reproductive releases of seaweeds interact with other algae. See benefits and inhibitions for a kelp from Chile once these spores encounter red algal crusts and and red algal turfs of algae. Opposite effects are impressing and their resulting effects can be used for conservation strategies of the harvestes kelp beds.
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Why is it important?
The kelp beds are overexploited in Chile (for alginate industry and also as food for cultivated abalone). We know little about what allows them to better withstand human and natural pressures that might facilitate (or inhibit in other cases) their reproduction in their natural habitats. These seaweeds can not be cultivated as they live in strong energy habitats, hard to imitate. This study gives hints to better understand constraints and facilitation possibilities for these exploited kelp beds.
Perspectives
Recently these kelp beds have been found to hold different cryptic species so that these ecological discoveries might help to explain the evolutive steps or the evolutive ways these seaweeds followed to have today such surpisingly rich genetic diversity and such particular speciation patterns.
Enrique Martínez
Universidad Catolica del Norte
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Interactions between kelp spores and encrusting and articulated corallines: recruitment challenges for Lessonia spicata, Botanica Marina, January 2017, De Gruyter,
DOI: 10.1515/bot-2017-0010.
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