Development and Diversity of Epibiont Assemblages on Cultivated Sugar Kelp (<i>Saccharina latissima</i>) in Relation to Farming Schedules and Harvesting Techniques
Seaweed farming in Europe is growing and may provide environmental benefits, including habitat provisioning, coastal protection, and bioremediation. Habitat provisioning by seaweed farms remains largely unquantified, with previous research focused primarily on the detrimental effects of epibionts, r...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2023-01-01
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| Series: | Life |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/13/1/209 |
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| author | Sophie Corrigan A. Ross Brown Charles R. Tyler Catherine Wilding Carly Daniels Ian G. C. Ashton Dan A. Smale |
| author_facet | Sophie Corrigan A. Ross Brown Charles R. Tyler Catherine Wilding Carly Daniels Ian G. C. Ashton Dan A. Smale |
| author_sort | Sophie Corrigan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Seaweed farming in Europe is growing and may provide environmental benefits, including habitat provisioning, coastal protection, and bioremediation. Habitat provisioning by seaweed farms remains largely unquantified, with previous research focused primarily on the detrimental effects of epibionts, rather than their roles in ecological functioning and ecosystem service provision. We monitored the development and diversity of epibiont assemblages on cultivated sugar kelp (<i>Saccharina latissima</i>) at a farm in Cornwall, southwest UK, and compared the effects of different harvesting techniques on epibiont assemblage structure. Increases in epibiont abundance (PERMANOVA, F<sub>4,25</sub> = 100.56, <i>p</i> < 0.001) and diversity (PERMANOVA, F<sub>4,25</sub> = 27.25, <i>p</i> < 0.001) were found on cultivated kelps over and beyond the growing season, reaching an average abundance of >6000 individuals per kelp plant with a taxonomic richness of ~9 phyla per kelp by late summer (August). Assemblages were dominated by crustaceans (mainly amphipods), molluscs (principally bivalves) and bryozoans, which provide important ecological roles, despite reducing crop quality. Partial harvesting techniques maintained, or increased, epibiont abundance and diversity beyond the farming season; however, these kelp plants were significantly fouled and would not be commercially viable in most markets. This paper improves understanding of epibiont assemblage development at European kelp farms, which can inform sustainable, ecosystem-based approaches to aquaculture. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T11:55:42Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-90899b19922d4eca8c936dd53fbdefd9 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2075-1729 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T11:55:42Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Life |
| spelling | doaj.art-90899b19922d4eca8c936dd53fbdefd92023-11-30T23:09:31ZengMDPI AGLife2075-17292023-01-0113120910.3390/life13010209Development and Diversity of Epibiont Assemblages on Cultivated Sugar Kelp (<i>Saccharina latissima</i>) in Relation to Farming Schedules and Harvesting TechniquesSophie Corrigan0A. Ross Brown1Charles R. Tyler2Catherine Wilding3Carly Daniels4Ian G. C. Ashton5Dan A. Smale6Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Exeter, Geoffrey Pope Building, Stocker Road, Exeter EX4 4QD, UKFaculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Exeter, Geoffrey Pope Building, Stocker Road, Exeter EX4 4QD, UKFaculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Exeter, Geoffrey Pope Building, Stocker Road, Exeter EX4 4QD, UKMarine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, The Laboratory, Citadel Hill, Plymouth PL1 2PB, UKCollege of Engineering, Mathematics and Physical Sciences, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Cornwall TR10 9FE, UKCollege of Engineering, Mathematics and Physical Sciences, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Cornwall TR10 9FE, UKMarine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, The Laboratory, Citadel Hill, Plymouth PL1 2PB, UKSeaweed farming in Europe is growing and may provide environmental benefits, including habitat provisioning, coastal protection, and bioremediation. Habitat provisioning by seaweed farms remains largely unquantified, with previous research focused primarily on the detrimental effects of epibionts, rather than their roles in ecological functioning and ecosystem service provision. We monitored the development and diversity of epibiont assemblages on cultivated sugar kelp (<i>Saccharina latissima</i>) at a farm in Cornwall, southwest UK, and compared the effects of different harvesting techniques on epibiont assemblage structure. Increases in epibiont abundance (PERMANOVA, F<sub>4,25</sub> = 100.56, <i>p</i> < 0.001) and diversity (PERMANOVA, F<sub>4,25</sub> = 27.25, <i>p</i> < 0.001) were found on cultivated kelps over and beyond the growing season, reaching an average abundance of >6000 individuals per kelp plant with a taxonomic richness of ~9 phyla per kelp by late summer (August). Assemblages were dominated by crustaceans (mainly amphipods), molluscs (principally bivalves) and bryozoans, which provide important ecological roles, despite reducing crop quality. Partial harvesting techniques maintained, or increased, epibiont abundance and diversity beyond the farming season; however, these kelp plants were significantly fouled and would not be commercially viable in most markets. This paper improves understanding of epibiont assemblage development at European kelp farms, which can inform sustainable, ecosystem-based approaches to aquaculture.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/13/1/209seaweed aquaculturebiofoulingpartial harvestingecosystem approach to aquaculturemacroalgal cultivation |
| spellingShingle | Sophie Corrigan A. Ross Brown Charles R. Tyler Catherine Wilding Carly Daniels Ian G. C. Ashton Dan A. Smale Development and Diversity of Epibiont Assemblages on Cultivated Sugar Kelp (<i>Saccharina latissima</i>) in Relation to Farming Schedules and Harvesting Techniques Life seaweed aquaculture biofouling partial harvesting ecosystem approach to aquaculture macroalgal cultivation |
| title | Development and Diversity of Epibiont Assemblages on Cultivated Sugar Kelp (<i>Saccharina latissima</i>) in Relation to Farming Schedules and Harvesting Techniques |
| title_full | Development and Diversity of Epibiont Assemblages on Cultivated Sugar Kelp (<i>Saccharina latissima</i>) in Relation to Farming Schedules and Harvesting Techniques |
| title_fullStr | Development and Diversity of Epibiont Assemblages on Cultivated Sugar Kelp (<i>Saccharina latissima</i>) in Relation to Farming Schedules and Harvesting Techniques |
| title_full_unstemmed | Development and Diversity of Epibiont Assemblages on Cultivated Sugar Kelp (<i>Saccharina latissima</i>) in Relation to Farming Schedules and Harvesting Techniques |
| title_short | Development and Diversity of Epibiont Assemblages on Cultivated Sugar Kelp (<i>Saccharina latissima</i>) in Relation to Farming Schedules and Harvesting Techniques |
| title_sort | development and diversity of epibiont assemblages on cultivated sugar kelp i saccharina latissima i in relation to farming schedules and harvesting techniques |
| topic | seaweed aquaculture biofouling partial harvesting ecosystem approach to aquaculture macroalgal cultivation |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/13/1/209 |
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