Physiological functional traits explain morphological variation of Ulva prolifera during the drifting of green tides
Abstract Ulva prolifera green tides, one of the greatest marine ecological disasters, originate in the southern Yellow Sea of China and obtain the highest biomass in Haizhou Bay (latitude around 35° N) during northward drift. U. prolifera shows different morphologies from southern Haizhou Bay (SH) t...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2022-01-01
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| Series: | Ecology and Evolution |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.8504 |
| _version_ | 1828032279039967232 |
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| author | Chen Guan Xinyu Zhao Tongfei Qu Yi Zhong Chengzong Hou Zhihao Lin Jinhui Xu Xuexi Tang Ying Wang |
| author_facet | Chen Guan Xinyu Zhao Tongfei Qu Yi Zhong Chengzong Hou Zhihao Lin Jinhui Xu Xuexi Tang Ying Wang |
| author_sort | Chen Guan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Ulva prolifera green tides, one of the greatest marine ecological disasters, originate in the southern Yellow Sea of China and obtain the highest biomass in Haizhou Bay (latitude around 35° N) during northward drift. U. prolifera shows different morphologies from southern Haizhou Bay (SH) to northern Haizhou Bay (NH). Owing to the distinct nutrient environments between SH and NH, we hypothesized that thalli in NH with poor nutrients increased the surface area to volume ratio (SA:VOL) to better absorb nutrients. Here, we tested this hypothesis by comparing the SA:VOL of thalli in SH and NH. The results showed that the thalli in NH had a lower SA:VOL than those in SH, and SA:VOL had positive relationships with temperature and nutrients, contrary to the general hypothesis. The novel results suggested that morphological differences of U. prolifera were the result of developmental state rather than environmental acclimation. Indicators of reproduction (reproductive allocation ratio) were negatively related to variation in tissue contents of C, N, P, and crude protein, whereas indicators of growth (tissue contents of C, N, P, and crude protein) showed significant positive influences on SA:VOL. The results indicated that a trade‐off relationship between reproduction and growth existed in the northward drift. All the results suggested that physiological functional traits affected morphological variation of U. prolifera in different environmental conditions during the drifting of green tides. This study presents new insights into the opportunist species nature of U. prolifera through morphological variation and associated functional consequences. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T15:03:21Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-abb1bdc4f11d4269b334efae9eaa2c66 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-7758 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T15:03:21Z |
| publishDate | 2022-01-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ecology and Evolution |
| spelling | doaj.art-abb1bdc4f11d4269b334efae9eaa2c662023-02-15T09:06:07ZengWileyEcology and Evolution2045-77582022-01-01121n/an/a10.1002/ece3.8504Physiological functional traits explain morphological variation of Ulva prolifera during the drifting of green tidesChen Guan0Xinyu Zhao1Tongfei Qu2Yi Zhong3Chengzong Hou4Zhihao Lin5Jinhui Xu6Xuexi Tang7Ying Wang8College of Marine Life Sciences Ocean University of China Qingdao ChinaLaboratory for Marine Ecology and Environmental Science Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology Qingdao ChinaCollege of Marine Life Sciences Ocean University of China Qingdao ChinaCollege of Marine Life Sciences Ocean University of China Qingdao ChinaCollege of Marine Life Sciences Ocean University of China Qingdao ChinaCollege of Marine Life Sciences Ocean University of China Qingdao ChinaCollege of Marine Life Sciences Ocean University of China Qingdao ChinaCollege of Marine Life Sciences Ocean University of China Qingdao ChinaCollege of Marine Life Sciences Ocean University of China Qingdao ChinaAbstract Ulva prolifera green tides, one of the greatest marine ecological disasters, originate in the southern Yellow Sea of China and obtain the highest biomass in Haizhou Bay (latitude around 35° N) during northward drift. U. prolifera shows different morphologies from southern Haizhou Bay (SH) to northern Haizhou Bay (NH). Owing to the distinct nutrient environments between SH and NH, we hypothesized that thalli in NH with poor nutrients increased the surface area to volume ratio (SA:VOL) to better absorb nutrients. Here, we tested this hypothesis by comparing the SA:VOL of thalli in SH and NH. The results showed that the thalli in NH had a lower SA:VOL than those in SH, and SA:VOL had positive relationships with temperature and nutrients, contrary to the general hypothesis. The novel results suggested that morphological differences of U. prolifera were the result of developmental state rather than environmental acclimation. Indicators of reproduction (reproductive allocation ratio) were negatively related to variation in tissue contents of C, N, P, and crude protein, whereas indicators of growth (tissue contents of C, N, P, and crude protein) showed significant positive influences on SA:VOL. The results indicated that a trade‐off relationship between reproduction and growth existed in the northward drift. All the results suggested that physiological functional traits affected morphological variation of U. prolifera in different environmental conditions during the drifting of green tides. This study presents new insights into the opportunist species nature of U. prolifera through morphological variation and associated functional consequences.https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.8504morphological variationphotosynthetic systemreproductive allocationsurface area to volume ratioUlva prolifera |
| spellingShingle | Chen Guan Xinyu Zhao Tongfei Qu Yi Zhong Chengzong Hou Zhihao Lin Jinhui Xu Xuexi Tang Ying Wang Physiological functional traits explain morphological variation of Ulva prolifera during the drifting of green tides Ecology and Evolution morphological variation photosynthetic system reproductive allocation surface area to volume ratio Ulva prolifera |
| title | Physiological functional traits explain morphological variation of Ulva prolifera during the drifting of green tides |
| title_full | Physiological functional traits explain morphological variation of Ulva prolifera during the drifting of green tides |
| title_fullStr | Physiological functional traits explain morphological variation of Ulva prolifera during the drifting of green tides |
| title_full_unstemmed | Physiological functional traits explain morphological variation of Ulva prolifera during the drifting of green tides |
| title_short | Physiological functional traits explain morphological variation of Ulva prolifera during the drifting of green tides |
| title_sort | physiological functional traits explain morphological variation of ulva prolifera during the drifting of green tides |
| topic | morphological variation photosynthetic system reproductive allocation surface area to volume ratio Ulva prolifera |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.8504 |
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