Individuals of the invasive alien seaweed Sargassum muticum were found drifting off the coasts of Lanzarote (Canary Islands). This species is native to the cold temperate northwestern Pacific but currently is widely distributed in the NE Pacific and the Atlantic. The closest known populations of Sargassum muticum to the Canary Islands are located in Morocco, at more than 600 km north of Lanzarote.

Global challenges for seagrass conservation include increasing societal recognition of the importance of seagrass and assessing its distribution and status. We present the first characterization of a Halodule wrightii meadow in the Fernando de Noronha Archipelago, Brazil. The seagrass was registered in Sueste Bay, which is the most sheltered coastal environment of the archipelago and is also where

Phytomyxids are a monophyletic group of biotrophs/parasites of a variety of organisms including seagrasses with a wide distribution range that includes the Caribbean. The seagrass Halophila stipulacea, native to the Indo-Pacific and Red Sea, is a known host for phytomyxids in the Mediterranean. However, to date phytomyxid infection has not been reported for H. stipulacea in the Caribbean. Infection

Trapa species are floating-leaved aquatic plants with significant economic and ecological values. However, the genetic relationship within Trapa genus is unclear. Here, we evaluated the genetic relationship of 12 Trapa species/varietas and 155 individuals collected from the Yangtze River Basin (China), one of the species diversity centers of the genus. With 264 AFLP (amplified fragment length polymorphism)

Seagrasses are important foundational species that frequently display distinct depth distributions, although the drivers of these patterns can be spatially and temporally variable. While the pantropical seagrass Halophila decipiens is known from waters as shallow as 1 m deep, in Moorea, French Polynesia we only found it > 6.4 m deep. To explore factors affecting depth distribution, we transplanted

Outbreaks of caterpillars have been recorded in some mangrove forests in Brazil and other countries. This study reports an infestation of Hyblaea puera caterpillars (Cramer, 1777) (Lepidoptera: Hyblaeidae) in the mangrove forest of the Mamanguape River, Paraíba State, Brazil. The attacks occurred between May and July 2020 and affected Avicennia germinans (L.) L. and Avicennia schaueriana Stapf & Leechm

Aegagropila linnaei is a unique freshwater green alga that develops into spherical aggregations known as “lake balls”, “Cladophora balls” or “Marimo”. Loss of this species is progressing globally, and there is concern over threats and its conservation. As part of the study which aims to conserve this endangered species, zoosporogenesis of A. linnaei in Lake Akan, designated as a Special Natural Monument

Potamogeton is a cosmopolitan genus of aquatic plants comprising ca. 72 species and 99 hybrids. Hybridization and polyploidization events are characteristic of its evolutionary history, thus molecular approach is desirable for confirmation of species and hybrids determinations. In this study, we tested the suitability of low-copy nuclear gene PHYB as a barcoding marker, as this gene was shown to have

This study reviews and synthesizes information regarding swamps exposed to permanent waterlogging throughout the two Brazilian biodiversity hotspots: the Cerrado and the Atlantic Forest. Our aims were to answer the following questions related to tree composition in these swamps: i) how do climatic and geographical variation influence the similarity and diversity of the swamps? ii) which are the most

The alien seagrass Halophila stipulacea has invaded the Mediterranean Sea from the Red Sea more than 120 y ago, and first recorded in the western Mediterranean Sea in 1995 (Vulcano island, Sicily). The species has further expanded ∼110 nautical miles northward, reaching the harbour of Palinuro (Tyrrhenian Sea, Italy) in 2006, which currently represents its northern distribution limit. We describe phenology

To reach the goal of large-scale seaweed cultivation in Norway, new knowledge concerning commercially important species like the kelp Saccharina latissima is essential. This includes fundamental understanding of physiological mechanisms like nutrient uptake kinetics to better understand its ecological niche and nutritional requirements. The initial short-term nitrate (NO3−) uptake kinetics in cultivated

Cultivation of Agarophyton chilensis, common name “pelillo”, in Chile began 40 years ago. Technology adopted has been based on culture by vegetative propagation and culture from spores. Mass seaweed culture is associated with increased instances of pests and/or disease, as has been observed in the agricultural sector. The aim of this work is to study the pest alga Rhizoclonium sp, and its development

Suaeda salsa L. is an annual euhalophyte with high salt tolerance which occurs in intertidal zone and inland saline soils. It is not clear how the two populations deal with high Cl−. In the current study, seedlings of two S. salsa populations were cultured with 0 and 300 mM NaCl. The results revealed that the content of Cl− in the roots of S. salsa from an intertidal zone was higher than those of the

The use of functional traits (FTs) can provide quantitative information to explain macrophyte ecology more effectively than traditional taxonomic-based methods. This research aims to elucidate the trait-based approaches used in recent macrophyte studies to outline their applications, shortcomings, and future challenges. A systematic literature review focused on macrophytes and FTs was carried out on

We investigated the forest structure, leaf demography, leaf allometry and growth of the erect canopy of the mangrove palm Nypa fruticans in four river systems distributed over 10 degrees of latitude in the tropics of northeast Australia and Papua New Guinea to obtain estimates of aboveground biomass (AGB) and annual aboveground net primary production (ANPP). In the four river sites Nypa mean leaf and

Macrophytes may either stimulate or depress nitrogen-related microbial processes via radial oxygen loss (ROL), production of exudates or uptake of inorganic N. ROL can favor aerobic processes as nitrification, exudates may stimulate denitrification, whereas N assimilation and competition with microbes may depress both processes. We measured rates of potential nitrification (PN) and denitrification

Plants of Potamogeton crispus, a submersed macrophyte, were cultivated in the water free of algae and containing different concentrations of inorganic nitrogen (0.2 and 20 mg N L−1) and phosphorus (0.02 and 2.0 mg P L−1). The changes in plant growth and turion formation and the carbohydrate contents in plants and turions were investigated, and the endogenous abscisic acid (ABA) levels and the expressions

Recent phylogeographical study of Eurasian Nuphar species has revealed that after the subgenus diversificated in eastern Asia, N. pumila and N. lutea extended westwards to Siberia and further into Europe. However, isolated Nuphar populations from southwestern Europe were not included in previous phylogeographic study and their history remained unknown. Given the extreme rarity of N. pumila in southwestern

Foundation species support immense biodiversity and underpin stability and resilience of entire ecosystems. Understanding the physical and environmental conditions that mediate variation in the presence and abundance of foundation species is key to managing and understanding these ecosystems in the face of anthropogenic change. We examine potential drivers of the presence and percent cover of the kelp

Since 2011, unusually large quantities of pelagic Sargassum fluitans and S. natans (sargasso) have been washing ashore along the coasts of some African countries and the Greater Caribbean, impacting ecosystems and economies. We estimated biomass and composition of sargasso arriving to a Mexican Caribbean coast from September 2016 until May 2020. In 2016, the beached masses comprised S. natans VIII

This study investigated the systematic identification and characterization of metabolic changes in wild and SCC of H. pinifolia using GC–MS based metabolomics approach. Finally, we identified 98 metabolites in wild and 125 metabolites in SCC and determined their relative abundance. Identified metabolites were mapped to general biochemical pathways and these metabolites spanned 77 primary and secondary

Sea level rise threatens coastal peatlands globally, as increased salinity can cause peat collapse and formation of brackish ponds, replacing marshes. Sawgrass, Cladium jamaicense Crantz (Cyperaceae), is the charismatic macrophyte that dominates Everglades marshes (Florida, USA). Sawgrass root growth is reduced by salinity pulses of 20 ppt, impacting soil structure and organic input into coastal peats

Historical attempts to establish mangrove, Avicennia marina in Kuwait resulted in the development of isolated communities along the northern Kuwait coastline. Mangrove establishment in Kuwait coastal waters have already demonstrated positive impacts in terms of enhancing biodiversity and increasing the habitat complexity. This study describes the establishment of a sustainable population of A. marina

Salicornia brachiata (Roxb.) exhibits seed germination and grows luxuriantly under extremely saline conditions. We hereby report seed germination potential, seedling growth and seedling development associated physiochemical changes in S. brachiata. Seawater above 75 % strength, NaCl above 400 mM and PEG above 20 % reduced seed germination by 50 % in S. brachiata. Germination energy, coefficient of

Family-1 UDP-glycosyltransferases, designated as UGTs, glycosylate key cellular metabolites into compounds with improved stability, solubility and transport to regulate plant growth and development in various metabolic pathways. However, little is known about the molecular and functional characteristics of UGT family in an aquatic plant and how it contributes to the Nelumbo nucifera ecotypic differentiation

A large population of Late Cretaceous Lychnothamnus tenuis holding small sized gyrogonites are described after systematically sampling the Fronteras section in the Cabullona Group (northeastern Sonora, Mexico). This discovery represents the oldest record of Lychnothamnus in North America and the first record of this genus in Mexico. The sedimentological analyses of the section suggest that Mexican

In Morocco, Zostera marina Linnaeus has disappeared from many localities where it was historically reported. The only known remaining meadows along Mediterranean coasts of Morocco, though in North Africa, are those of Belyounech bay and Oued El Mersa bay, in the marine area of ‘Jbel Moussa’. An in-depth knowledge of these meadows is required for their effective conservation purpose. The Z. marina meadows

Seagrasses cope with excess irradiance using a suit of photoprotective mechanisms, however, Halophila species are the only seagrasses known to exhibit chloroplast avoidance movement. Here we examined this phenomenon together with concurrent change in photosynthetic and leaf optical properties in H. ovalis and H. decipiens. Although co-existing, these two seagrasses displayed different light use characteristics

Aquatic macrophytes that occur in isolated ponds in hostile pasture matrices may be subject to setbacks in the delicate balance of animal-plant interactions, such as pollination systems. In this work we took as a model Nymphaea pulchella DC., a species which occurs in isolated ponds in pastures in Northeast Brazil. We aimed to elucidate how complex pollination mechanisms can survive in human-dominated

A survey of national and international publications during the past decade (2010–2019) in China was done by searching Web-of-Science and CNKI (China National Knowledge Infrastructure), including doctoral and masters’ thesis from Chinese universities. The funding of seagrass research has increased during the past decade in China and this is reflected in the number of publications with an increase in

In plant species, the effects of flooding and salinity are commonly studied under controlled conditions in order to understand their acclimation to environmental stresses. Nevertheless, each stress is usually considered separately and laboratory conditions cannot encompass the complexity of the natural ecosystem, often concealing the true plant response. Our work aimed therefore at studying plant responses

Flowers and fruit of the seagrass Halophila ovalis subsp. bullosa (Setchell) Hartog are reported from the Nasese intertidal flats, Laucala Bay, Fiji Islands, and described for the first time. The observation of pistillate and staminate flowers completes the flowering event reporting of this endemic Fijian taxon, and also resolves its taxonomic identity. Lack of prior descriptions of H. ovalis subsp

Podostemaceae are submerged haptophytes growing on rocks in fast currents, where no or rarely one macrophyte co-occurs. Due to the extreme ecology, culture was difficult. We cultured Terniopsis chanthaburiensis in slow-flowing water, with which a set of nutrients was supplied at regular intervals. Filtration and coculture of shrimps substitute for the current, which removes microbes and cleans the

Tropical seagrasses support abundant and diverse epiphytic microalgae that form the base of seagrass food webs. To help better understand the influence of structural variability of tropical seagrass meadows on associated microalgal epiphytes, we quantified the relative abundance and distribution of epiphytic microphytes in subtidal meadows of Thalassodendron ciliatum with varying seagrass canopy structure

Sea level rise and more frequent storm and precipitation events associated with climate change are predicted to increase salinity fluctuations in estuarine and inshore areas, where foundation species such as eelgrass (Zostera marina L.) will be exposed to more frequent salinity changes. Effects of acute hyposalinity exposure on seagrasses remain poorly understood compared to the effects of more prolonged

Nowadays, due to deforestation, poor soil management and improper farming techniques, reservoir and lake sedimentation is a serious problem in Ethiopia. Despite the severity of the problem, there is no documented study on the use of macrophytes as a biological management option for sediment loading. A sediment trap field experiment was conducted from July to September 2017 to assess the efficiency

Turions are vegetative, dormant overwintering storage organs produced by perennial aquatic plants in autumn. They are storage organs for non-structural carbohydrates and also mineral substances (N, P). Contents of photosynthetic pigments (chlorophyll a and b, carotenoids), storage carbohydrates (starch and five free sugars) and of mineral nutrients (N, P) were estimated in mature autumnal turions of

The tropical seagrass Halophila stipulacea is the most dominant and widespread seagrass species in the Gulf of Aqaba (GoA, northern Red Sea). In light of the ecological services provided by H. stipulacea in its native regions, and its reported colonization and dispersion in non-native areas, there is a growing global interest in understanding its vegetative development and growth strategies under varying

The contribution of pollen mediated gene flow in demographic stability is largely dependent on how far pollen can be dispersed, as well as how this dispersal affects the mating in breeding individuals. In this study patterns of pollen dispersal and mating systems in Rhizophora racemosa populations of the Cameroon Estuary complex (CEC) were assessed from 29 adult trees with their progeny seedlings (i

Factors that strongly affect morphological features and reproductive effort of charophytes (Charophyta, Characeae) are the depth of occurrence and light availability. Eutrophication of waters and global warming change the level and transparency of waters. As a response to light limitation, an elongation of the charophyte thallus and a decrease in the number of mature oogonia with increasing depth have

Seagrasses in the Eastern Tropical Pacific (ETP) region are currently only found at a limited number of locations. Seagrass meadows are a threatened coastal habitat worldwide, and there is already a report of seagrass loss in the ETP. Here, we characterize seagrasses at two new locations in Costa Rica, El Jobo and Matapalito, to provide further information on spatial and temporal variability of seagrasses

Coastal, freshwater wetlands in northern Australia are at risk of increased saltwater intrusion associated with sea-level rise, which threatens the persistence of numerous freshwater plant species by increasing salinity. Waterlilies (Nymphaea) are widespread in northern Australia, and their loss from these wetlands will be detrimental, both ecologically and culturally. This study aimed to define the

The interspecific competition of aquatic macrophytes may be density-dependent and its outcome has importance for the monospecific and mixed stands zonation in tropical estuaries. To evaluate the growth of Spartina alterniflora and Crinum americanum and the effect of the initial densities on their competition we developed a laboratory experiment using five planting densities of young individuals (8:0

This study aimed to assess the effects of temperature on growth and photosynthetic performance of hybrid Napier grass (a C4 plant) as compared to giant reed (a C3 plant). The plants were grown under 20/16 °C, 28/24 °C and 36/32 °C day/night temperature, respectively, in walk-in growth cabinets. The optimum temperature for plant growth and photosynthesis of hybrid Napier grass was 28/24 °C. At higher

Tidal wetlands support plant communities that facilitate carbon storage, accrete soil, and provide habitat for terrestrial and aquatic species. Climate change is likely to alter estuaries through sea-level rise and changing precipitation patterns, although the ecological responses are uncertain. We were interested in plant responses to physiological stress induced by elevated water salinity and flooding

Aquatic plants live in anoxic sediments that favor formation of hydrogen sulfide, a known phytotoxin. We investigated how the phenology of reproductive life stages of wild rice (Zizania palustris Poaceae), an annual aquatic graminoid, is influenced by rooting zone sulfur geochemistry in response to elevated sulfate and sulfide. In addition, we characterized how redox conditions in the rooting zone

Clonality and sexual reproduction are important drivers of spatial genetic structure (SGS) in seagrass meadows. However, few genetic studies have focused on the annual or short-lived perennial seagrass Zostera japonica, which has been declining dramatically along coastal regions of China. In this study, we assessed the effects of asexual and sexual reproduction on the dispersal of Z. japonica using

Phenotypic plasticity is common in aquatic monocots, but is sometimes mistaken with heteroblasty. In Eriocaulaceae, aquatic and amphibious species may present interesting adaptive morphological features. However, Paepalanthus saxicola var. pilosus is unusual by having two leaf morphotypes and scapes that can be partially submerged or completely exposed. This taxon also presents an uncertain identity

Duckweed, a small floating aquatic plant in the family Lemnaceae, has considerable potential for agricultural and environmental applications. Proteomic analysis will facilitate the study of plant biology and plant-environment interactions. A reliable and reproducible protein extraction method is critical for successful proteomic analysis. To date, there have been no evaluation studies of extraction

Large scale disturbances associated with anthropogenic activities or natural disasters can destroy primary habitat-forming species like corals, seagrasses and seaweeds. However, little research has documented if and on how large-scale disturbances affect secondary habitat formers, such as epiphytes and small animals that depend on biogenic habitats. Here we quantified changes in the abundance of both

Plant functional connectivity integrates species-environment interactions, dispersal vectors, and landscape structure variables to understand species’ spatial responses to habitat fragmentation. Functional connectivity is still poorly understood for aquatic plants despite the promise it holds for informing wetland conservation across landscapes. Through a landscape genetics approach, we quantified

A crossing experiment between the green mutant (C-0, ♀) and red mutant (fre, ♂) of Pyropia yezoensis was carried out for breeding an improved strain which was fast growing, high quality and wild type color, finally an improved strain (A-13) was isolated from the F1 gametophytic blades. The mean length and length-width ratio of the 60-day-old blades in A-13 were 73.43 cm and 35.41, which were 1.69 and

Seaweeds are primary producers that form a key component of coastal ecosystems. In estuaries and the intertidal zone they are frequently exposed to temporary hyposaline conditions. Previous research has shown that seaweed health status and photosynthetic activity are reduced due to hyposaline stress, but its effects on seaweed physical properties are unknown. This knowledge gap has important implications

Brown algae or brown seaweed is a commercial source of different polysaccharides/hydrocolloids including alginates and fucoidans. To increase the knowledge of transcript diversity and to understand the molecular pattern of alginate biosynthesis in brown seaweeds as influenced by tidal cycles, two RNA libraries were analyzed from Macrocystis pyrifera collected at the intertidal (0 m depth) and subtidal