Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Optimal spawning conditions of Phyllospora comosa (Phaeophyceae, Fucales) for mariculture

  • Published:
Journal of Applied Phycology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The fucoid Phyllospora comosa has sparked interest from the industry as a potential commercial aquaculture species. However, information on the feasibility of culturing this species, including maximising spawning and fertilisation, remains limited. This study aimed to identify optimal conditions for spawning and early development of P. comosa under laboratory conditions. We tested spawning and germination success across lunar phase (new moon vs full moon), temperature (15 °C, 18 °C, 21 °C), light (35 μmol photons m−2 s−1 vs 0 μmol photons m−2 s−1) and exposure (desiccated vs submerged). Lunar cycles were compared over three consecutive months. Fifty fertile P. comosa male and female thalli were collected from Port Fairy, Victoria, Australia, every 2 weeks to coincide with full and new moon phases from February to April 2017. Spawning of eggs and sperm was achieved in all treatment combinations. However, there was no consistent effect of lunar phase, light, temperature or exposure, with high temporal variability amongst treatment groups. Percentage germination after 24 h in static culture varied between 35 and 90%, and overall embryo mortality was high (> 65%) after 7 days, but did not differ amongst spawning cue treatments. The high mortality observed at day 7 did not appear to be linked to insufficient egg or sperm densities nor excess sperm (polyspermy). Overall results indicate flexibility in spawning conditions which is advantageous for integration into aquaculture.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Andersson S, Kautsky L, Kalvas A (1994) Circadian and lunar gamete release in Fucus vesiculosus in the atital Baltic Sea. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 110:195–201

    Google Scholar 

  • Brawley SH (1992) Fertilization in natural populations of the dioecious brown alga Fucus ceranoides and the importance of the polyspermy block. Mar Biol 113:145–157

    Google Scholar 

  • Burridge TR (1990) Reproduction, development and growth in Phyllospora comosa, Seiroccus axillaris and Scytothalia dorycarpa (Seirococcaceae, Phaeophyta). PhD Thesis, Monash University, Melbourne

  • Burridge TR, Shir MA (1995) The comparative effects of oil dispersants and oil/dispersant conjugates on germination of the marine macroalga Phyllospora comosa (Fucales: Phaeophyta). Mar Pollut Bull 31:446–452

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Burridge T, Clayton MN, Hallam ND (1993) Oogenesis and stalk mediated fertilization in Phyllospora comosa, (Labillardiere) C. Agardh, (Seirococcaceae, Phaeophyta). Bot Mar 36:223–233

    Google Scholar 

  • Burridge T, Portelli T, Ashton P (1996) Effect of sewage effluents on germination of three marine brown algal macrophytes. Mar Freshw Res 47:1009–1014

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Buschmann AH, Camus C, Infante J, Neori A, Israel Á, Hernández-González MC, Pereda SV, Gomez-Pinchetti JL, Golberg A, Tadmor-Shalev N, Critchley AT (2017) Seaweed production: overview of the global state of exploitation, farming and emerging research activity. Eur J Phycol 52:391–406

    Google Scholar 

  • Campbell AH, Marzinelli EM, Verges A, Coleman MA, Steinberg PD (2014) Towards restoration of missing underwater forests. PLoS One 9:e84106

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Camus C, Buschmann AH (2017) Macrocystis pyrifera aquafarming: production optimization of rope-seeded juvenile sporophytes. Aquaculture 468:107–114

    Google Scholar 

  • Carl C, de Nys R, Lawton RJ, Paul NA (2014) Methods for the induction of reproduction in a tropical species of filamentous Ulva. PLoS One 9:e97396

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Christie AO, Evans LV (1962) Periodicity in the liberation of gametes and zoospores of Enteromorpha intestinalis. Nature 193:193–194

    Google Scholar 

  • Cole AJ, de Nys R, Paul NA (2015) Biorecovery of nutrient waste as protein in freshwater macroalgae. Algal Res 7:58–65

    Google Scholar 

  • Creed JC, Norton TA, Kain JM (1997) Intraspecific competition in Fucus serratus germlings: the interaction of light, nutrients and density. J Exp Mar Biol Ecol 212:211–223

    Google Scholar 

  • de Bettignies T, Wernberg T, Gurgel CFD (2018) Exploring the influence of temperature on aspects of the reproductive phenology of temperate seaweeds. Front Mar Sci 5:218

    Google Scholar 

  • Drew KM (1949) Conchocelis-phase in the life-history of Porphyra umbilicalis (L.) Kuetz. Nature 164:748–749

    Google Scholar 

  • Falace A, Kaleb S, De La Fuente G, Asnaghi V, Chiantore M (2018) Ex situ cultivation protocol for Cystoseira amentacea var. stricta (Fucales, Phaeophyceae) from a restoration perspective. PLoS One 13:e0193011

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • FAO (2018) The state of food insecurity in the world 2018. Building climate resiliance for food secuity and nutrition. FAO, Rome

  • Flavin K, Favin N, Flahive B (2013) Kelp farming manual: a guide to the processes techniques and equipment for farming kelp in the New England waters. Ocean Approved LLC, Saco, ME, USA pp 1–123

  • Fleming AE (1995) Growth, intake, feed conversion efficiency and chemosensory preference of the Australian abalone, Haliotis rubra. Aquaculture 132:297–311

    Google Scholar 

  • Fletcher RL (1980) Studies of the recently introduced brown alga Sargassum muticum (Yendo) Fensholt. III. Periodicity in gamete release and “incubation” of early germling stages. Bot Mar 31:425–432

    Google Scholar 

  • FRDC (2010) Overview of the Australian fishing and aquaculture industry: present and future. The National Fishing and Aquaculture RD&E Strategy, Fisheries Research and Development Corporation, Canberra pp 30–115

  • FRDC (2015) Seaweed farming to boost finfish aquaculture. FISH Archive, September 21:23

  • Hales JM, Fletcher RL (1990) Studies of the recently introduced brown alga Sargassum muticum (Yendo) Fensholt. V. Receptacle initiation and growth, and gamete release in laboratory culture. Bot Mar 33:241–249

    Google Scholar 

  • Halpern BS, Walbridge S, Selkoe KA, Kappel CV, Micheli F, D’Agrosa C, Bruno JF, Casey KS, Ebert C, Fox HE, Fujita R, Heinemann D, Lenihan HS, Madin EM, Perry MT, Selig ER, Spalding M, Steneck R, Watson R (2008) A global map of human impact on marine ecosystems. Science 319:948–952

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hoyt WD (1927) The periodic fruiting of Dictyota and its relation to the environment. Am J Bot 14:592–619

    Google Scholar 

  • Hwang EK, Park CS, Baek JM (2006) Artificial seed production and cultivation of the edible brown alga, Sargassum Fulvellum (Turner) C. Agardh: developing a new species for seaweed cultivation in Korea. J Appl Phycol 18:251–257

    Google Scholar 

  • Kerrison P, Le HN (2015) Environmental factors on egg liberation and germling production of Sargassum muticum. J Appl Phycol 28:481–489

    Google Scholar 

  • Kevekordes K, Clayton MN (1996) Using developing embryos of Hormosira banksii (Phaeophyta) as a marine bioassay system. Int J Plant Sci 157:582–585

    Google Scholar 

  • Lorbeer AJ, Tham R, Zhang W (2013) Potential products from the highly diverse and endemic macroalgae of Southern Australia and pathways for their sustainable production. J Appl Phycol 25:717–732

    Google Scholar 

  • Loureiro R, Gachon CM, Rebours C (2015) Seaweed cultivation: potential and challenges of crop domestication at an unprecedented pace. New Phytol 202:489–492

    Google Scholar 

  • Lüning K (1981) Egg release in gametophytes of Laminaria saccharina: induction by darkness and inhibition by blue light and U.V. Br Phycol J 16:379–393

    Google Scholar 

  • Lüning K, Pang S (2003) Mass cultivation of seaweeds: current aspects and approaches. J Appl Phycol 15:115–119

    Google Scholar 

  • Lüning K, Kadel P, Pang S (2008) Control of reproduction rhythmicity by environmental and endogenous signals in Ulva pseudocurvata (Chlorophyta). J Phycol 44:866–873

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Marzinelli EM, Campbell AH, Vergés A, Coleman MA, Kelaher BP, Steinberg PD (2013) Restoring seaweeds: does the declining fucoid Phyllospora comosa support different biodiversity than other habitats? J Appl Phycol 26:1089–1096

    Google Scholar 

  • McKenzie PF, Bellgrove A (2006) No outbreeding depression at a regional scale for a habitat-forming intertidal alga with limited dispersal. Mar Freshw Res 57:655–663

    Google Scholar 

  • Müller DG (1962) Über jahres- und lunarperiodische Erscheinungen bei einigen Braunalgen. Bot Mar 4:140–155

    Google Scholar 

  • Mulvaney W, Jahangard S, Turchini G, Krsinich A, Lillie P, Winberg P, Ingram BA (2013) Offshore abalone farming development in Port Phillip Bay: a pilot study. Fisheries Victoria Research Report Series 65:31

  • Mulvaney WJ, Jahangard S, Ingram BA, Turchini GM, Winberg PC (2015) Recovery of omega-3 profiles of cultivated abalone by dietary macroalgae supplementation. J Appl Phycol 27:2163–2171

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nilsen G, Nordby O (1975) A sporulation-inhibiting substance from vegetative thalli of the green alga Ulva mutalilis Foyn. Planta 125:127–139

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Norton TA (1981) Gamete expulsion and release in Sargassum muticum. Bot Mar 24:465–470

    Google Scholar 

  • Ohno M (1972) The periodicity of gamete liberation in Monostroma. Proc Int Seaweed Symp 7:405–409

    Google Scholar 

  • Osborn JEM (1948) The structure and life history of Hormosira banksii (Turner) Decaisne. Trans R Soc N Z 77:47–71

    Google Scholar 

  • Pang SJ, Chen LT, Zhuang DG, Fei XG, Sun JZ (2005) Cultivation of the brown alga Hizikia fusiformis (Harvey) Okamura: enhanced seedling production in tumbled culture. Aquaculture 245:321–329

    Google Scholar 

  • Pang S, Gao S, Sun J (2006) Cultivation of the brown alga Hizikia fusiformis (Harvey) Okamura: controlled fertilization and early development of seedlings in raceway tanks in ambient light and temperature. J Appl Phycol 18:723–731

    Google Scholar 

  • Pang SJ, Liu F, Shan TF, Gao SQ, Zhang ZH (2009) Cultivation of the brown alga Sargassum horneri: sexual reproduction and seedling production in tank culture under reduced solar irradiance in ambient temperature. J Appl Phycol 21:413–422

    Google Scholar 

  • Paul NA, de Nys R (2008) Promise and pitfalls of locally abundant seaweeds as biofilters for integrated aquaculture. Aquaculture 281:49–55

    Google Scholar 

  • Pearson GA, Serrao EA, Dring M, Schmid R (2004) Blue and green light signals for gamete release in the brown alga, Silvetia compressa. Oecologia 138:193–201

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Phillips JA (2001) Marine macroalgal biodiversity hotspots: why is there high species richness and endemism in southern Australian marine benthic flora? Biodivers Conserv 10:1555–1577

    Google Scholar 

  • Reichelt JL, Borowitzka MA (1984) Antimicrobial activity from marine algae: results of a large-scale screening programme. Hydrobiologia 116-117:158–168

    Google Scholar 

  • Rhyne C (1973) Field and experimental studies of the systematics and ecology of Ulva curvata and Ulva rotunda. Sea Grant Publication, UNC-SG-73-09 123

  • Sanderson JC (1990) Subtidal macroalgal studies in east and south eastern Tasmanian coastal waters. PhD Thesis, University of Tasmania

  • Santelices B (1999) A conceptual framework for marine agronomy. Hydrobiologia 398:15–23

    Google Scholar 

  • Schoenwaelder MEA, Clayton MN (1999) The presence of phenolic compounds in isolated cell walls of brown algae. Phycologica 38:161–166

    Google Scholar 

  • Schoenwaelder MEA, Clayton MN (2000) Physode formation in embryos of Phyllospora comosa and Hormosira banksii (Phaeophyceae). Phycologica 39:1–9

    Google Scholar 

  • Skrzypczyk VM, Hermon KM, Norambuena F, Turchini GM, Keast R, Bellgrove A (2019) Is Australian seaweed worth eating? Nutritional and sensorial properties of wild-harvested Australian versus commercially available seaweeds. J Appl Phycol 31:709–724

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Smith GM (1947) On the reproduction of some Pacific coast species of Ulva. Am J Bot 34:80–87

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sondak CFA, Ang PO, Beardall J, Bellgrove A, Boo SM, Gerung GS, Hepburn CD, Hong DD, Hu Z, Kawai H, Largo D, Lee JA, Lim P-E, Mayakun J, Nelson WA, Oak JH, Phang S-M, Sahoo D, Peerapornpis Y, Yang Y, Chung IK (2016) Carbon dioxide mitigation potential of seaweed aquaculture beds (SABs). J Appl Phycol 29:2363–2373

    Google Scholar 

  • Steen H (2003) Intraspecific competition in Sargassum muticum (Phaeophyceae) germlings under various density, nutrient and temperature regimes. Bot Mar 46:36–43

    Google Scholar 

  • Subbarmaiah K (1970) Growth and reproduction of Ulva fasciata (Delile) in nature and culture. Bot Mar 13:25–27

    Google Scholar 

  • Suto S (1950) Studies on shedding, swimming and fixing of the spores of seaweeds. Bull Jpn Soc Sci Fish 16:1–9

    Google Scholar 

  • Townsend C, Lawson GW (1972) Preliminary results on factors causing zonation in Enteromorpha using a tide simulating apparatus. J Exp Mar Biol Ecol 8:265–276

    Google Scholar 

  • Troell M, Joyce A, Chopin T, Neori A, Buschmann AH, Fang JG (2009) Ecological engineering in aquaculture—potential for integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA) in marine offshore systems. Aquaculture 297:1–9

    Google Scholar 

  • Uchida T (1993) The life cycle of Sargassum horneri (Phaeophyta) in laboratory culture. J Phycol 29:231–235

    Google Scholar 

  • Womersley HBS (1987) The marine benthic flora of Southern Australia. Part 2. Southern Australian Government Printing Division, Adelaide, Australia

  • Zhang QS, Tang YZ, Liu SK, Zhang SB, Lu ZC, Cu SH, Yu YQ (2011) Zygote-derived seedling production of Sargassum thunbergii: focus on two frequently experienced constraints in tank culture of seaweed. J Appl Phycol 24:707–714

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhao Z, Zhao F, Yao J, Lu J, Ang PO, Duan D (2008) Early development of germlings of Sargassum thunbergii (Fucales, Phaeophyta) under laboratory conditions. J Appl Phycol 20:925–931

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

Francis, P., Ebery, M., Moyes, M., Merritt, K., Buttigieg, L. and Zavalas, R., are thanked for field and laboratory assistance and Kinoshita, N. for supplying images.

Funding

This work was funded by the Victorian Shellfish Hatchery and Deakin University with in-kind support from Kai Ho Tasmanian Sea Vegetables and the Victorian Fisheries Authority.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Centre for Integrative Ecology, Warrnambool Campus, Deakin University, P.O. Box 423, Warrnambool, Victoria, 3280, Australia

    Erin E. Cumming & Alecia Bellgrove

  2. School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Centre for Integrative Ecology, Waurn Ponds Campus, Deakin University, Locked Bag 20000, Geelong, Victoria, 3220, Australia

    Ty G. Matthews

  3. Kai Ho Tasmanian Sea Vegetables, 32 McIntyre St., Mornington, Tasmania, 7018, Australia

    Craig J. Sanderson

  4. Victorian Fisheries Authority, Private Bag 20, Alexandra, Victoria, 3714, Australia

    Brett A. Ingram

Authors
  1. Erin E. Cumming
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ty G. Matthews
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Craig J. Sanderson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Brett A. Ingram
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Alecia Bellgrove
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Erin E. Cumming.

Additional information

Publisher’s note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Electronic supplementary material

ESM 1

(DOCX 222 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Cumming, E.E., Matthews, T.G., Sanderson, C.J. et al. Optimal spawning conditions of Phyllospora comosa (Phaeophyceae, Fucales) for mariculture. J Appl Phycol 31, 3041–3050 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10811-019-01788-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10811-019-01788-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation