Molecular-Assisted Revision of Red Macroalgal Diversity and Distribution along the Western Antarctic Peninsula and South Shetland Islands

• Published in: Cryptogamie, Algologie
• Main Authors: Dubrasquet, Hélène, Reyes, Janette, Sanchez, Ramona Pinochet, Valdivia, Nelson, Guillemin, Marie-Laure
• Other Authors: Biologie évolutive et écologie des algues = Evolutionary Biology and Ecology of Algae (EBEA), Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (UC)-Sorbonne Université (SU)-Universidad Austral de Chile-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Station biologique de Roscoff = Roscoff Marine Station (SBR), Sorbonne Université (SU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Instituto de Ciencias Ambientales y Evolutivas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Instituto de Ciencias Marinas y Limnológicas, Centro FONDAP de Investigación en Dinámica de Ecosistemas Marinos de Altas Latitudes (IDEAL)
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: HAL CCSD 2018
• Subjects: Biodiversity survey; Biogeography; Cryptic species; DNA barcoding; Integrative taxonomy; Rhodophyta; espèces cryptiques; Inventaire de Biodiversité; Taxonomie integrative; Barcoding ADN; Biogéographie; [SDV.BID.SPT]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Biodiversity/Systematics; Phylogenetics and taxonomy; [SDV.BV.BOT]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Vegetal Biology/Botanics; Antarctic; The Antarctic; Antarctic Peninsula; South Shetland Islands; Bransfield Strait; Antarc*; Antarctique*; Sea ice
• Online Access: https://hal.science/hal-04043032; https://hal.science/hal-04043032/document; https://hal.science/hal-04043032/file/Dubrasquet_Red_Antarctic_Peninsula_%20correction_HAL.pdf; https://doi.org/10.7872/crya/v39.iss4.2018.409

International audience The Antarctic marine flora is well known as a flora composed of relatively few species in comparison with other marine realms. Using molecular taxonomy as complementary tool for traditional taxonomy, we studied red macroalgal diversity and biogeography along the Western Antarctic Peninsula (WAP) and South Shetlands Islands (SShs) coasts and across a bathymetric gradient; in addition, we compared both methods of identification in terms of accuracy and number of observed taxa. Our results show low diversity levels at the regional and local scales, with around 50 taxa registered in total. Molecular tools allowed us to detect putative cryptic species within the genera Callophyllis, Curdiea and Georgiella, and to identify 98% of our specimens at species level. Our results also allowed us to identify significant differences between red macroalgal assemblages of three distinct biogeographic sub-regions: SShs and Northern part of the WAP (at »63°S), Central part of the WAP (at »64°S) and Central-Southern part of the WAP (at »67°S). Our sub-regions do not correspond to the classical separation of SShs/WAP reported in previous studies and suggest that the Bransfield Strait is not a strong biogeographic barrier for red macroalgae. Since our three sub-regions correspond to three latitude levels, we propose that past and present-day dynamics of sea-ice disturbance may have shaped the observed differences in red algal communities. We believe that the construction of accessible genetic dataset associated with voucher specimens in the present work will benefit future studies of macroalgal diversity and distribution in the region. La flore marine de la zone Antarctique est supposée bien connue car relativement peu d' espèces y sont observées par rapport à d'autres régions du monde. En utilisant la taxonomie traditionnelle combinée aux outils moléculaires, nous avons étudié la diversité et biogéographie des communautés de macroalgues rouges le long de la côte Ouest de la Péninsule Antarctique (WAP) et ...