Publicaciones

Spatio-temporal variability of strandings of the southern bull kelp Durvillaea antarctica (Fucales, Phaeophyceae) on beaches along the coast of Chile—linked to local storms

López, B., Macaya, E., Jeldres, R., Valdivia, N., Bonta, C., Tala, F., & Thiel, M.

Availability of floating seaweeds may depend on the seasonal cycles of benthic populations, but our ability to predict temporal patterns of stranded biomasses is still limited. Season-dependent, local storms favor detachment of seaweeds from the substratum, which can be reflected in the stranded biomasses on adjacent beaches after these events. Hence, we hypothesized that seaweed strandings are positively correlated with storm intensity. Using as a model the southern bull kelp Durvillaea antarctica (Chamisso) Hariot, a species frequently found in seaweed strandings in Chile, bimonthly surveys were carried out on three beaches: Pichicuy (32° S), Itata Norte (36° S), and Curiñanco (39° S) for 3 years (2014 to 2017). Stranded biomass, total length, and wet weight of specimens were quantified and related to local storms (using the Douglas sea scale). Stranded biomasses decreased in the spring months of each year, being higher in Pichicuy and Curiñanco than Itata Norte. Regression models showed a better fit with recent storms in Curiñanco compared to other beaches. An interannual decrease of beach-cast raft size was observed, showing smaller specimens in Itata Norte than those in Pichicuy and Curiñanco. Reduced habitat availability and the exploitation of natural beds in the central zone (34°–37° S) might explain the decrease of biomasses and sizes of stranded bull kelps. Also, oceanographic features at intermediate (i.e., local winds and currents) and large scales (i.e., El Niño) can help to explain the temporal variability, particularly in spring and summer. Our results suggest that harvesting of stranded bull kelps might be most favorable in summer and autumn.

Año: 2018

Palabras claves: Bull kelps, Douglas sea scale, Floating seaweeds, Sandy beaches, Strandings

Coastal biophysical processes and the biogeography of rocky intertidal species along the south-eastern Pacific

Lara, C., Saldías, G., Cazelles, B., Rivadeneira, M., Haye, P., & Broitman, B.

Aim
We assess the spatial distribution of a suite of coastal biophysical characteristics and how their variability is related to the distribution and geographic range of a diverse assemblage of coastal benthic species with different larval dispersal strategies.

Location
South‐eastern Pacific (SEP) coast between 18°20′S and 42°35′S.

Methods
Biophysical variability was assessed using chlorophyll‐a concentration, sea surface temperature and the signal of turbid river plumes derived from MODIS onboard the Aqua satellite. We established the dominant spatial components using wavelet and coherence analysis, and evaluated the biogeographic structure of 51 rocky intertidal species sampled over ~2,600 km along the SEP using multivariate classification and regression trees.

Results
Biogeographic breaks detected here were consistent with recent biogeographic classification schemes. Distribution breakpoints for species with lecithotrophic larvae clustered around 30°S. We observed a previously unreported break in the distribution of species with planktotrophic larval dispersal strategies around 35°S. These breaks are related to coherence in the spatial structure of sea surface temperature, chlorophyll‐a and river outflow over different temporal scales. Regions with similar biophysical characteristics, and the breaks the separate them, are in striking agreement with the biogeographic patterns revealed by the multivariate classification trees.

Main conclusions
Our results reconcile patterns of biogeographic structure reported for other groups of species along the SEP coast. We suggest that river outflow, a poorly studied coastal environmental forcing, may play an important role in determining the geographic distribution of rocky shore species, probably through its effects on larval dispersal patterns.

Año: 2018

Palabras claves: biogeographic provinces, larval dispersal, MODIS, multiscale coherence, river outflows, rocky shore invertebrates

Asymmetric competitive effects during species range expansion: An experimental assessment of interaction strength between “equivalent” grazer species in their range overlap

Aguilera, M., Valdivia, N., Jenkins, S., Navarrete, S., & Broitman, B.

Biotic interactions are central to the development of theory and concepts in community ecology; experimental evidence has shown their strong effects on patterns of population and community organization and dynamics over local spatial scales. The role of competition in determining range limits and preventing invasions at biogeographic scales is more controversial, partly because of the complexity of processes involved in species colonization of novel habitats and the difficulties in performing appropriate manipulations and controls.

We examined experimentally whether competition is likely to affect poleward range expansion hindering or facilitating the establishment of the limpet Scurria viridula along the south‐eastern Pacific rocky shore (30°S, Chile) in the region occupied by the congeneric S. zebrina. We also assessed whether competition with the “invader” or range‐expanding species could reduce individual performance of the “native” S. zebrina and depress local populations.

Geographic field surveys were conducted to characterize the abundance and identity of limpets along the south‐eastern Pacific coast from 18°S to 41°S, and the micro‐scale (few cm) spatial distribution across the range overlap of the two species. Field‐based competition experiments were conducted at the southern leading edge of the range of S. viridula (33°S) and at the northern limit of S. zebrina (30°S).

Field surveys showed poleward range expansion of S. viridula of ca. 210 km since year 2000, with an expansion rate of 13.1 km/year. No range shift was detected for S. zebrina. The resident S. zebrina had significant negative effects on the growth rate of the invading juvenile S. viridula, while no effect of the latter was found on S. zebrina. Spatial segregation between species was found at the scale of cms.

Our results provide novel evidence of an asymmetric competitive effect of a resident species on an invader, which may hamper further range expansion. No negative effect of the invader on the resident species was detected. This study highlights the complexities of evaluating the role of species interactions in setting range limits of species, but showed how interspecific competition might slow the advance of an invader by reducing individual performance and overall population size at the advancing front.

Año: 2018

Palabras claves: field experiments, grazers, Pacific Ocean, range overlap, range shift, transitional zone

Inter-hemispherical shoreline surveys of anthropogenic marine debris – A binational citizen science project with schoolchildren

Honorato-Zimmer, D., Kruse, K., Knickmeier, K., Weinmann, A., Hinojosa, I., & Thiel, M.

Anthropogenic marine debris (AMD) is a global problem and the identification of its sources is essential for adequate mitigation strategies. Herein we examined whether AMD density and composition differed between two countries with contrasting socio-economic backgrounds and marine litter sources (i.e. Chile and Germany). In nationwide beach litter surveys, we used a citizen science approach with schoolchildren and their teachers. Litter densities were substantially higher in Chile than in Germany. The different geographic zones surveyed in both countries showed strong grouping tendencies according to their main economic activities (tourism, shipping, fisheries/aquaculture), major litter sources, and AMD composition, in terms of dominance and diversity of AMD types. The results suggest that beach litter composition can be used as a simple proxy to identify AMD sources, and also that law enforcement and education can help mitigate the problem; however, for efficient solutions, production and consumption of plastics must be reduced.

Año: 2018

Palabras claves: Marine plastic litter, Beach surveys, Litter composition, Litter sources, Citizen science, Schoolchildren

Nest building by a small mesograzer limits blade size of the giant kelp Macrocystis pyrifera

Poore, A., Gutow, L., Lörz, A., & Thiel, M.

Small herbivores are abundant on large marine macrophytes, but their impact on their hosts is poorly understood relative to large grazers such as urchins and fish. To limit the risks of predation, many marine mesograzers live within nests or burrows, potentially causing more damage to plants than predicted from consumption alone. To test whether the growth of large primary producers can be affected by modification of plant structures by small herbivores, we quantified the effect of the nest-building amphipod Pseudopleonexes lessoniae on blades of the giant kelp, Macrocystis pyrifera in New Zealand. Amphipods create their nests by rolling the blade margin in close proximity to the meristem. Blades with nests were 40% shorter than blades lacking nests and reduced in area by 55%. We examined the composition of amphipods inhabiting each nest to assess the temporal persistence of grazer aggregations. Nests were occupied by a single female or male–female pairs, and their newly hatched offspring. Analysis of offspring size distributions suggested that offspring dispersed from the maternal nest and did not remain to breed themselves. By concentrating physical damage and feeding on valuable tissues, these results indicate that even low numbers of small herbivores can cause localized impacts on the morphology and size of fast-growing algal blades. Predicting the consequences of this damage on larger scales will require understanding the spatial and temporal distribution of amphipod nests on giant kelp.

Año: 2018

Palabras claves:

Temperature and pCO2 jointly affect the emergence and survival of cercariae from a snail host: implications for future parasitic infections in the Humboldt Current system

Leiva, N., Manríquez, P., Aguilera, V., & González, M.

Ocean warming and acidification are general consequences of rising atmospheric CO2 concentrations. In addition to future predictions, highly productive systems such as the Humboldt Current System are characterized by important variations in both temperature and pCO2 level, but how these physical–chemical ocean changes might influence the transmission and survival of parasites has not been assessed. This study experimentally evaluated the effects of temperature (14, 18 and 25 °C) and the combined effects of temperature (∼15 and 20 °C) and pCO2 level (∼500 and 1400 microatmospheres (µatm) on the emergence and survival of two species of marine trematodes—Echinostomatidae gen. sp. and Philophthalmidae gen. sp.—both of which infect the intertidal snail Echinolittorina peruviana. Snails were collected from intertidal rocky pools in a year-round upwelling area of the northern Humboldt Current System (23°S). Two experiments assessed parasite emergence and survival by simulating emersion-immersion tidal cycles. To assess parasite survival, 2 h old cercariae (on average) were taken from a pool of infected snails incubated at 20–25 °C, and their mortality was recorded every 6 h until all the cercariae were dead. For both species, a trade-off between high emergence and low survival of cercariae was observed in the high temperature treatment. Species-specific responses to the combination of temperature and pCO2 levels were also observed: the emergence of Echinostomatidae cercariae was highest at 20 °C regardless of the pCO2 levels. By contrast, the emergence of Philophthalmidae cercariae was highest at elevated pCO2 (15 and 20 °C), suggesting that CO2 may react synergistically with temperature, increasing transmission success of this parasite in coastal ecosystems of the Humboldt Current System where water temperature and pH are expected to decrease. In conclusion, our results suggest that integrating temperature-pCO2 interactions in parasite studies is essential for understanding the consequence of climate change in future marine ecosystem health.

Año: 2018

Palabras claves: Cercariae, Climate change, Gastropod, Intertidal ecosystems, pCO2, Transmission, Trematodes

Plastic Pirates sample litter at rivers in Germany – Riverside litter and litter sources estimated by schoolchildren

Kiessling, T., Knickmeier, K., Kruse, K., Brennecke, D., Nauendorf, A., & Thiel, M.

Rivers are an important source of marine anthropogenic litter, but the particular origins of riverine litter itself have not been well established. Here we used a citizen science approach where schoolchildren examined litter at riversides and identified possible sources at over 250 sampling spots along large and small rivers in Germany, during autumn 2016 and spring 2017. Litter densities have an overall median of 0.14, interquartile range 0–0.57 items m−2 and an overall average (±standard deviation) of 0.54 ± 1.20 litter items m−2. Litter quantities differed only little by sampling year. The principal litter types found were plastics and cigarette butts (31% and 20%, respectively), followed by glass, paper, and metal items, indicating recreational visitors as the principal litter source. At many sites (85%), accumulations of litter, consisting principally of cigarettes and food packaging, have been found. At almost all sampling sites (89%), litter potentially hazardous to human health has been observed, including broken glass, sharp metal objects, used personal hygiene articles and items containing chemicals. In the search for litter sources, the schoolchildren identified mainly people who use the rivers as recreational areas (in contrast to residents living in the vicinity, illegal dumping, or the river itself depositing litter from upstream sources). These results indicate the urgent need for better education and policy measures in order to protect riparian environments and reduce input of riverine litter to the marine environment.

Año: 2018

Palabras claves: Plastic litter, Macrolitter, Freshwater, Source identification, Citizen science

A hyper‐arid environment shapes an inverse pattern of the fast–slow plant economics spectrum for above‐, but not below‐ground resource acquisition strategies

Carvajal, D., Loayza, A., Rios, R., Delpiano, C., & Squeo, F.

The fast–slow plant economics spectrum predicts that because of evolutionary and biophysical constraints, different plant organs must be coordinated to converge in a unique ecological strategy within a continuum that shifts from fast to slow resource acquisition and conservation. Therefore, along a gradient of aridity, taxa with different strategies will be expected to be successful because selection pressures for slow resource acquisition become stronger as the environment becomes drier. In extremely arid and seasonal environments, however, a slow strategy may become disadvantageous because slow traits are costly to maintain. Additionally, as the availability of water decreases, selection pressures increase, reducing the variation in ecological strategies.

Using shrub assemblages along an aridity gradient in the Atacama Desert, we test the hypothesis that selection pressures imposed by hyper‐aridity act simultaneously on the variation and coordination of trait attributes, leading to an inverse pattern in the fast–slow plant economics spectrum, where strategies shift from slow to fast as the environment becomes drier.

We established 20–22 plots at each of four sites along the gradient to estimate plant community structure and functional variation. For all species recorded, we quantified a set of leaf, stem, and root traits.
Results revealed an inverse pattern of the fast–slow economics spectrum for leaf and stem traits, but not for root traits; that is, as aridity further increased, above‐ground traits exhibited a shift from a slow to a fast strategy with some level of coordination. Below‐ground traits, however, did not shift accordingly with our prediction, rather they showed more complex pattern of shift and coordination with above‐ground traits along the gradient. We also found that trait variation showed an idiosyncratic pattern of variation along the gradient, indicating that ecological strategies are driven by local processes within sites.

Synthesis. Our results increase our understanding of the fast–slow plant economics spectrum by showing that environmental gradients, as well as local process can simultaneously shape different below‐ and above‐ground resource acquisition strategies in extremely poor resource environments.

Año: 2018

Palabras claves: Aridity gradient, Atacama Desert, Functional traits, Functional trait variation, Leaf root, Shrub communities, Stem.

First insight into the heritable variation and potential response to selection of phototaxis and locomotion behavior associated to the light/dark stimuli in the abalone Haliotis discus hannai

Defranchi, Y., Winkler, F., Farías, W., Herbinger, C., & Brokordt, K.

Abalones are especially susceptible to environmental lighting conditions. This factor greatly affects crucial biological process such as feeding rates, energy balance, physiological stress status, and consequently, growth and survival of farmed abalone. Most of these effects have been studied in the economically valuable abalone Haliotis discus hannai. The use of specific photoperiods, and/or light qualities and intensities, have been proposed as managing strategies to increase its production; however, for extensive off-shore or in intensive land-based farming systems, lighting conditions are not likely to be easily managed. Despite the great importance of the biological responses to the light/dark stimuli for abalone farming production, to the best of our knowledge the genetic control upon the variation associated behavioral traits have not been studied. Therefore, the aim of this study was to estimate the heritable variation and potential responses to selection for the phototaxis [i.e., displacement towards (positive) or against (negative) the light source] and locomotion behaviors associated to the intensity of the response (i.e., crawling speed and displacement distance) to the light/dark stimuli in juvenile H. discus hannai. Genetic and phenotypic correlations between these traits were also estimated. Results showed moderate but significant heritable variations for phototaxis (h2 = 0.15) and locomotion responses (h2 = 0.18–0.37); and significant positive genetic correlations among them. Expected gain responses to selection per generation (with a selection intensity of 2.06, i.e., selecting 5% of the individuals from a population) were moderate for phototaxis variation (16%) and high for locomotion responses variation (33–67 or 36–73%, depending on the model used for the estimations). As a consequence, the potential for reducing (or incrementing, depending on the breeding goal) the reactivity or the sensibility to the light stimulus by selective breeding is good, and can be an attractive way of indirectly improving growth, survival and general welfare of farmed H. discus hannai.

Año: 2018

Palabras claves: Abalone phototaxis, Locomotion to light/dark, Phototaxis heritability, Abalone farming, Selective breeding, Haliotis discus hannai