Differences in kelp morphology between wave sheltered and exposed localities: morphologically plastic or fixed traits? |
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Authors: | Meegan J Fowler-Walker Thomas Wernberg Sean D Connell |
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Institution: | (1) Southern Seas Ecology Laboratories, DP 418, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia;(2) Present address: Centre for Ecosystem Management, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, 6027, WA, Australia |
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Abstract: | The ability of algae to change the shape of their thallus in response to the environment may be of functional and ecological
importance to the alga, with many species of macroalgae exhibiting a great range of morphological variation across wave exposure
gradients. However, differences in morphology detected between sheltered and exposed environments cannot determine whether
such differences represent plastic responses to the local environment or whether morphology is genetically fixed. This study
tested for differences in the morphology of the common kelp, Ecklonia radiata, between wave sheltered and exposed environments, and reciprocally transplanted juveniles to distinguish the nature of such
differences (i.e. plastic vs fixed traits). Differences between exposure environments were consistent with known effects of
exposure (i.e. a wide, thin thallus at sheltered sites and a narrow, thick thallus with a thick stipe at exposed sites). The
reciprocal transplant experiment confirmed that morphological plasticity was the mechanism enabling this alga to display different
patterns in morphology between exposure environments. Individuals transplanted to the exposed environment underwent a rapid
and extreme response in morphology, which was not apparent in individuals transplanted to the sheltered environment that responded
more slowly. These results suggest that stressors typical of sheltered environments (i.e. diffusion stress) may not be as
influential (if at all) compared to stressors typical of exposed environments (i.e. breakage, dislodgement) in differentiating
morphological characters between exposure environments. |
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