A new threat to local marine biodiversity: filamentous mats proliferating at mesophotic depths off Rapa Nui
Mesophotic and deeper habitats (∼40 to 350 m in depth) around Rapa Nui (Easter Island) were investigated using a remotely operated vehicle. We observed extensive fields of filamentous cyanobacteria-like mats covering sandy substrates and mostly dead mesophotic Leptoseris spp. reefs. These mats cover...
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PeerJ Inc.
2021-08-01
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| Online Access: | https://peerj.com/articles/12052.pdf |
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| author | Javier Sellanes Matthias Gorny Germán Zapata-Hernández Gonzalo Alvarez Praxedes Muñoz Fadia Tala |
| author_facet | Javier Sellanes Matthias Gorny Germán Zapata-Hernández Gonzalo Alvarez Praxedes Muñoz Fadia Tala |
| author_sort | Javier Sellanes |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Mesophotic and deeper habitats (∼40 to 350 m in depth) around Rapa Nui (Easter Island) were investigated using a remotely operated vehicle. We observed extensive fields of filamentous cyanobacteria-like mats covering sandy substrates and mostly dead mesophotic Leptoseris spp. reefs. These mats covered up to 100% of the seafloor off Hanga Roa, the main village on the island, located on its western side. The highest mortality of corals was observed at depths between 70 and 95 m in this area. Healthy Leptoseris reefs were documented off the northern and southeastern sides of the island, which are also the least populated. A preliminary morphologic analysis of samples of the mats indicated that the assemblage is composed of at least four filamentous taxa, including two cyanobacteria (cf. Lyngbya sp. and Pseudoanabaena sp.), a brown alga (Ectocarpus sp.), and a green alga (Cladophora sp.). An ongoing eutrophication process is suggested as a potential driver of the proliferation of these filamentous mats off Hanga Roa village. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T06:51:27Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b6206743af06407fa141a343d1cc9a11 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2167-8359 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T06:51:27Z |
| publishDate | 2021-08-01 |
| publisher | PeerJ Inc. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PeerJ |
| spelling | doaj.art-b6206743af06407fa141a343d1cc9a112023-12-03T10:26:18ZengPeerJ Inc.PeerJ2167-83592021-08-019e1205210.7717/peerj.12052A new threat to local marine biodiversity: filamentous mats proliferating at mesophotic depths off Rapa NuiJavier Sellanes0Matthias Gorny1Germán Zapata-Hernández2Gonzalo Alvarez3Praxedes Muñoz4Fadia Tala5Departamento de Biología Marina, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar, Universidad Católica del Norte, Coquimbo, Coquimbo, ChileOceana, Santiago, ChileDepartamento de Biología Marina, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar, Universidad Católica del Norte, Coquimbo, Coquimbo, ChileDepartamento de Acuicultura, Universidad Católica del Norte, Coquimbo, Coquimbo, ChileDepartamento de Biología Marina, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar, Universidad Católica del Norte, Coquimbo, Coquimbo, ChileDepartamento de Biología Marina, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar, Universidad Católica del Norte, Coquimbo, Coquimbo, ChileMesophotic and deeper habitats (∼40 to 350 m in depth) around Rapa Nui (Easter Island) were investigated using a remotely operated vehicle. We observed extensive fields of filamentous cyanobacteria-like mats covering sandy substrates and mostly dead mesophotic Leptoseris spp. reefs. These mats covered up to 100% of the seafloor off Hanga Roa, the main village on the island, located on its western side. The highest mortality of corals was observed at depths between 70 and 95 m in this area. Healthy Leptoseris reefs were documented off the northern and southeastern sides of the island, which are also the least populated. A preliminary morphologic analysis of samples of the mats indicated that the assemblage is composed of at least four filamentous taxa, including two cyanobacteria (cf. Lyngbya sp. and Pseudoanabaena sp.), a brown alga (Ectocarpus sp.), and a green alga (Cladophora sp.). An ongoing eutrophication process is suggested as a potential driver of the proliferation of these filamentous mats off Hanga Roa village.https://peerj.com/articles/12052.pdfCyanophyceaeLepstoserisMesophotic reefsMarine conservationEaster IslandPolynesia |
| spellingShingle | Javier Sellanes Matthias Gorny Germán Zapata-Hernández Gonzalo Alvarez Praxedes Muñoz Fadia Tala A new threat to local marine biodiversity: filamentous mats proliferating at mesophotic depths off Rapa Nui PeerJ Cyanophyceae Lepstoseris Mesophotic reefs Marine conservation Easter Island Polynesia |
| title | A new threat to local marine biodiversity: filamentous mats proliferating at mesophotic depths off Rapa Nui |
| title_full | A new threat to local marine biodiversity: filamentous mats proliferating at mesophotic depths off Rapa Nui |
| title_fullStr | A new threat to local marine biodiversity: filamentous mats proliferating at mesophotic depths off Rapa Nui |
| title_full_unstemmed | A new threat to local marine biodiversity: filamentous mats proliferating at mesophotic depths off Rapa Nui |
| title_short | A new threat to local marine biodiversity: filamentous mats proliferating at mesophotic depths off Rapa Nui |
| title_sort | new threat to local marine biodiversity filamentous mats proliferating at mesophotic depths off rapa nui |
| topic | Cyanophyceae Lepstoseris Mesophotic reefs Marine conservation Easter Island Polynesia |
| url | https://peerj.com/articles/12052.pdf |
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