HURRICANE-INDUCED PROPAGATION AND RAPID REGROWTH OF THE WEEDY BROWN ALGA DICTYOTA IN THE FLORIDA KEYS

Hurricanes drastically affect shallow coral reef ecosystems by physically removing and fragmenting biological organisms, or scouring them as massive amounts of sand and rubble are displaced. This study assesses the impact of a Category I hurricane on populations of the weedy brown macroalga Dictyota...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Florida scientist 2005-07, Vol.68 (3), p.161-174
Main Authors: Vroom, Peter, Walters, Linda, Beach, Kevin, Coyer, James, Smith, Jennifer, Abgrall, Marie-Josée, Byron, Dorothy, DeAngelis, Kathryn, Konar, Brenda, Liss, Julie, Okano, Ryan, Roberts, Cassandra, Herren, Laura, Woo, Monica, Smith, Celia
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Algae
Coral reefs
Dictyota
Ecological invasion
Green algae
Hurricanes
Keys
Marine
Marine ecology
Population growth
Reefs
Storms
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Summary:Hurricanes drastically affect shallow coral reef ecosystems by physically removing and fragmenting biological organisms, or scouring them as massive amounts of sand and rubble are displaced. This study assesses the impact of a Category I hurricane on populations of the weedy brown macroalga Dictyota in the Florida Keys, and considers the fate of the algal biomass shredded and displaced by subsequent water flow. In October 1999, Hurricane Irene decimated Dictyota spp. populations, however fragments created remained viable despite their traumatic generation, settled and formed attachment rhizoids within 2 days, and then began to grow. This study shows that a large-scale physical disturbance (hurricane) can be beneficial to weedy, opportunistic, asexually reproducing species, such as Dictyota, that form rhizoidal attachments faster than other macroalgal species, and can lead to large-scale population recovery within weeks.
ISSN:0098-4590