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Variations in the alginate content and composition of Durvillaea antarctica and D. willana from southern New Zealand

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Abstract

The brown seaweeds Durvillaea antarctica andD. willana are dominant components of the lowerlittoral and upper sublittoral of exposed rocky shoresin southern New Zealand. Tissue samples of bothspecies, harvested from a site on the south-east coastof South Island over a period of 2 years, wereanalysed for alginate content and composition.Individuals of both species were further separatedinto different blade (lamina and palm) and stipe(cortex and medulla) fractions to assess variationwithin the thallus. On average the alginate contentand frequency of mannuronic acid (Fm) was higherin D. antarctica than in D. willana. Blades contained more alginate than stipes, laminaeand stipes were rich in mannuronic acid whereasholdfasts were rich in guluronic acid. Variations incomposition are considered to reflect the functionaldifferences of the tissue, giving flexibility to bladeand stipe and rigidity to the holdfast. Despitefluctuations in content and composition betweencollection times no seasonal trends in eithercomponent were apparent.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Martin Ryan Marine Science Institute, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland

    Brent J. Kelly

  2. Department of Biological Sciences, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, PL4 8AA, UK

    Murray T. Brown

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  1. Brent J. Kelly
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  2. Murray T. Brown
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Kelly, B.J., Brown, M.T. Variations in the alginate content and composition of Durvillaea antarctica and D. willana from southern New Zealand. Journal of Applied Phycology 12, 317–324 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1008106723185

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