New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research abstracts
Algal interactions on shallow subtidal reefs in northern New Zealand: a review
DAVID R. SCHIEL
Fisheries Research Centre
Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries
P.O. Box 297, Wellington, New Zealand
Abstract
In north-eastern New Zealand, nearshore subtidal reefs are dominated by large brown algae of the orders Fucales and Laminariales. Species of the genera
Carpophyllum, Sargassum, and
Landsburgia are the most conspicuous fucaleans, whereas
Ecklonia radiata is the only common laminarian. Three categories of events affect the composition of stands of these algae: first, the competitive effects of adult canopies on recruitment to the substratum below; second, the seasonality of spore release and availability of free space; und third, the demographic characteristics of species and their influence on recruitment. Adult canopies suppress recruitment of all species. Both repro-cluction and recruitment are seasonal in occurrence and most recruits appear within a few metres of adults of their own species. A comparison of representative Fucales and Laminariales shows important differences in how these taxa colonise substrata. Propagules of fucaleans are larger at settlement and fewer in number than those of laminarians. Compared to laminarians, however, higher numbers of fucalean adults are generally required to form a closed canopy. The number of recruits and the survival of each life history stage are affected by the population structure of algal stands. The importance of the demographic characteristics of individual species in assessing these processes is highlighted.
Keywords Laminariales; Fucales; kelp forest; competition; demography; northern New Zealand; life history
New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research, 1988, Vol. 22: 481-489 Crown copyright 1988Received 29 June 1987; accepted 27 January 1988
PDF file of entire paper: medium quality (851K); (scanned from paper original: notes about this process)
This year's abstracts |
Journal home page |
All abstracts |
Publishing home page
