First freshwater coralline alga and the role of local features in a major biome transition

Coralline red algae are significant components of sea bottom and up to now considered as exclusively marine species. Here we present the first coralline alga from a freshwater environment, found in the Cetina River (Adriatic Sea watershed). The alga is fully adapted to freshwater, as attested by rep...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Scientific Reports
Main Authors: Žuljević, Ante, Kaleb, Sara, Peña, Viviana, Despalatović, M, Cvitković, I, De Clerck, Olivier, Le Gall, L, Falace, A, Vita, F, Braga, Juan C, Antolić, B
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: 2016
Subjects:
Biology and Life Sciences
DIVERSITY
RHODOPHYTA
GLOBAL CHANGE
OCEAN ACIDIFICATION
CARBONATE PRODUCTION
RED ALGAE
CROATIA
CETINA
EUROPE
RIVERS
Ocean acidification
Online Access:https://biblio.ugent.be/publication/7151319
http://hdl.handle.net/1854/LU-7151319
https://doi.org/10.1038/srep19642
https://biblio.ugent.be/publication/7151319/file/7151366
Description
Summary:Coralline red algae are significant components of sea bottom and up to now considered as exclusively marine species. Here we present the first coralline alga from a freshwater environment, found in the Cetina River (Adriatic Sea watershed). The alga is fully adapted to freshwater, as attested by reproductive structures, sporelings, and an inability to survive brackish conditions. Morphological and molecular phylogenetic analyses reveal the species belongs to Pneophyllum and is described as P. cetinaensis sp. nov. The marine-freshwater transition most probably occurred during the last glaciation. The brackish-water ancestor was preadapted to osmotic stress and rapid changes in water salinity and temperature. The particular characteristics of the karst Cetina River, such as hard water enriched with dissolved calcium carbonate and a pH similar to the marine environment, favoured colonization of the river by a marine species. The upstream advance and dispersal is facilitated by exceptionally pronounced zoochory by freshwater gastropods. Pneophyllum cetinaensis defies the paradigm of Corallinales as an exclusively marine group.

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