Grazing and the geographical range of seaweeds : The introduced Fucus evanescens and the newly described Fucus radicans

• Main Author: Forslund, Helena
• Format: Master Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: Botaniska institutionen 2009
• Subjects: non-indigenous species; phlorotannin; herbivore defense; Biological Sciences; Biologiska vetenskaper; Ecology; Ekologi; Iceland
• Online Access: http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:su:diva-36255

Along the coast of temperate oceans brown algae of the genus Fucus form dense stands on rocky shores and are keystone species of the coastal ecosystem. These large seaweeds are perennial and function as substrate for many sessile marine organisms, provide shelter for fauna and juvenile fish, and are food source. A number of abiotic (e.g. wave-exposure, salinity and substrate) and biotic (e.g. herbivory and competition) factors structures these communities and determines the abundance and composition of fucoids at each specific site. Earlier studies have shown that herbivores may reduce growth of fucoids, thus affecting their distribution, and at high densities eliminate the species from previously occupied sites. In my thesis I focused on investigating herbivore-seaweed interactions and whether such interactions could influence the geographical range limits of Fucus species. A set of laboratory bioassays and a field survey were conducted (1) to investigate the resistance to grazing by a generalist gastropod between introduced (to Sweden) and native (Iceland) Fucus evanescens (Paper I), (2) to study the distribution pattern of F. radicans and F. vesiculosus along the Swedish coast and specifically the southern limit of F. radicans, (3) to examine the abundance of herbivores in these two species, and (4) to test the hypothesis that Idotea baltica may contribute to restrict F. radicans to the Bothnian Sea (objective 2-4; Paper II). Fucus evanescens, a species that was introduced to the Swedish coast about 100 years ago, was found to be more resistant to grazing by L. littorea compared to F. evanescens from the native Icelandic populations. It was also shown to contain a higher amount of phlorotannins; a putative chemical defence to herbivory. This indicates that development of resistance to herbivory could be important for a successful introduction and survival in a new range. No gradual change in the proportion, measured as % cover of either F. radicans or F. vesiculosus was found inside the range of F. radicans ...