Rev. biol. mar. oceanogr. 50(2): 359-366

Nota Científica

 

Macroalgas en arrecifes rocosos de Bahía Fildes y Collins, Isla Rey Jorge, Antártica

 

Mauricio Palacios1,2,3, César A. Cárdenas4 y Emma M. Newcombe5,6

 

1Programa de Doctorado en Ciencias, mención Ecología y Evolución, Instituto de Ciencias Ambientales y Evolutiva, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Edificio Pugin, campus Isla Teja s/n, Valdivia, Chile
2Centro de Investigación de Recursos Marinos en Ambientes Subantárticos, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Magallanes, Casilla 113-D, Punta Arenas, Chile
3Programa Marino, Wildlife Conservation Society, Chile
4Departamento Científico, Instituto Antártico Chileno, Plaza Muñoz Gamero 1055, Punta Arenas, Chile
5Fundación Centro de Estudios del Cuaternario, Fuego-Patagonia y Antártica (CEQUA), Punta Arenas, Chile
6Cawthron Institute, Nelson, 98 Halifax St, The Wood, Nelson 7010, New Zealand

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The aim of this work was to carry out a qualitative assessment of the subtidal algal assemblages occurring at both bays. We conducted subtidal sampling of seaweeds between 1 and 10 m in Collins and Fildes Bay during late summer 2009. Our results showed that Rhodophyta was the most diverse group (63% of species) followed by Phaeophyceae (33.3%) and Chlorophyta (3.7%). Differences in species richness and structure of algal assemblages were recorded between sites. Depth significantly influenced algal assemblages; however there was a significant interaction between site and depth, suggesting that the effect of depth varied among sites. Observed differences between sites may be explained by differences in ice-scour disturbance, habitat heterogeneity (availability of refugia) and identity of canopy-forming species.

Key words: Seaweeds, Fildes and Collins Bays, species richness, Antarctica

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