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Ecological role of Phyllophora antarctica drift accumulations in coastal soft-sediment communities of McMurdo Sound, Antarctica

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Abstract

At Cape Evans on Ross Island, Antarctica, the rhodophyte Phyllophora antarctica is the dominant primary producer in terms of biomass from 10 to >30 m depth. The vast majority of Phyllophora occurs as accumulations of unattached plants. Whilst decomposition and incorporation of macroalgal drift material into the food web is rapid in temperate ecosystems, we predicted these processes to be slow in Antarctica. We address the functional role of macroalgal detritus in fuelling the biodiversity of benthic communities at Cape Evans during the summers of 2001 and 2002. Specifically we (a) describe the distribution and biomass of attached and drift algae, (b) assess the photosynthetic capacity and degradation of drift accumulations using in situ fluorometry, (c) assess the effect of patches of drift Phyllophora on underlying macrofaunal communities, and, (d) use stable isotopes to investigate the possible uptake of Phyllophora by macrofauna. We found drift Phyllophora accumulations throughout the depth range investigated (3–31 m), with peak biomasses of 140±30 g dwt m−2 in the 15–25 m depth strata. At this depth stratum Phyllophora was a conspicuous habitat element with the % cover on the seafloor averaging 30%. While initially the drift algal accumulations appeared in good health we measured significant declines in photosynthetic capacity between years suggesting ongoing, albeit slow, degradation of the drift algal accumulations. Our results demonstrate that Phyllophora drift accumulations have a structuring role on soft-sediment communities, which increases in strength with the gradual degradation of the algae. The longevity of Phyllophora is enhanced by secondary metabolites, which serve as protection against grazers, and their extreme shade adaptation. However, our carbon and nitrogen stable isotope data of polychaetes and amphipods associated with Phyllophora suggest that macroalgal detritus enters the food web, and although this process is slow, Phyllophora accumulations might serve to dampen the seasonality in food supply providing higher trophic levels with a more constant food source.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to the dive supervisors of K081, Steve Mercer and Rod Budd as well as Owen Anderson and Chazz Marriott for competent help in the field and good company. Max Gibbs helped with the stable isotope analysis. We are also grateful to Antarctica New Zealand for providing excellent logistical support, and to USAP and Rob Robbins for drilling dive holes for us. Thanks are also due to Paul Dayton for his guidance in the field of Antarctic marine ecology, to our Italian collaborators at the University of Genova, and to Rick Pridmore (NIWA-CEO) for his support. Kay Vopel, Guenter Arlt and Christer Erséus kindly helped with annelid taxonomy. Rutger Rosenberg, Joanna Norkko, Erik Bonsdorff, Eric Vetter and one anonymous reviewer provided valuable comments on the manuscript. This study was financed by the New Zealand Ministry of Fisheries (ZBD2001/02 and ZBD2002/03) and NIWA (NSOF). Funding at the writing phase of this paper was provided to AN by a Marie Curie fellowship (EVK-CF-2002-50008).

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  1. Alf Norkko

    Present address: Department of Marine Ecology, Kristineberg Marine Research Station, Göteborg University, 450 34, Fiskebäckskil, Sweden

Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, P.O. Box 11-115, Hamilton, New Zealand

    Alf Norkko, Simon F. Thrush, Vonda J. Cummings, Greig A. Funnell, Anne-Maree Schwarz & Ian Hawes

  2. National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, P.O. Box 14-901, Wellington, New Zealand

    Neil L. Andrew

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Norkko, A., Thrush, S.F., Cummings, V.J. et al. Ecological role of Phyllophora antarctica drift accumulations in coastal soft-sediment communities of McMurdo Sound, Antarctica. Polar Biol 27, 482–494 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-004-0610-8

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