Marine algal (seaweed) flora of Pico Island, Azores
Citation
Neto A I, Prestes A C L, Vaz Álvaro N, Resendes R, Neto R M A, Tittley I, Moreu I (2020). Marine algal (seaweed) flora of Pico Island, Azores. Version 1.11. Universidade dos Açores. Sampling event dataset https://doi.org/10.15468/cxyw2a accessed via GBIF.org on 2024-09-01.Description
Background The seaweed flora of Pico Island (central group of the Azores archipelago) has attracted interest of researchers on past occasions. Despite this, the macroalgal flora of the island cannot be considered well-known as published information reflects only occasional collections. To overcome this, a thorough investigation, encompassing collections and presence data recording, was undertaken. Research under the Campaigns “AÇORES/89”, “PICO/91”, “PICOBEL/2007” and “LAUMACAT/2011” covered a relatively large area (approximately 39 km2) around the island encompassing the littoral and sublittoral levels down to about 40 m. This paper improves the knowledge of the Azorean macroalgal flora at local and regional scales by listing taxonomic records and providing information on the ecology and occurrence of each species present on the island’s littoral.
New information A total of 4043 specimens (including taxa identified only to genus level) belonging to 303 taxa of macroalgae are registered, comprising 197 Rhodophyta, 53 Chlorophyta and 53 Ochrophyta (Phaeophyceae). From these, 225 were identified to species level (142 Rhodophyta, 41 Chlorophyta and 42 Ochrophyta), encompassing 110 new records for the island (69 Rhodophyta, 20 Chlorophyta and 21 Ochrophyta), three Macaronesian endemisms (Botryocladia macaronesica Afonso-Carillo, Sobrino, Tittley & Neto; Laurencia viridis Gil-Rodríguez & Haroun; and Codium elisabethiae O. C. Schmidt), 14 introduced, and 25 species with an uncertain status.
Introduction The Azorean algal flora, considered cosmopolitan with species shared with Macaronesia, North Africa, the Mediterranean Sea, Atlantic Europe and America (Tittley 2003, Tittley & Neto 2006, Wallenstein et al. 2009), has been considered relatively rich when compared to that of other remote oceanic islands (Neto et al. 2005; Tittley & Neto 2005; Wallenstein et al. 2009). Even so, it is worth mentioning that the published information (approximately 400 species, Freitas et al. 2019) reflects data from only a few of the nine islands, since not all of them have been thoroughly investigated. To overcome this, and improve the understanding of the archipelago’s seaweed flora, an effort has been made by local investigators over the past three decades and research on the marine macroalgae flora has been conducted on several of the less studied Azorean islands. This paper comprises both physical and occurrence data and compiles the gathered information from macroalgae surveys developed in Pico Island mainly by the Island Aquatic Research Group of the University of the Azores (https://ce3c.ciencias.ulisboa.pt/sub-team/island-aquatic-ecology). It aims to constitute a practical resource for biological studies such as systematics, diversity and conservation, biological monitoring, climate change and ecology, and also for academics, students, government, private organizations, and the general public.
Purpose By listing taxonomic records for Pico and presenting general information for each taxon occurrence on the island’s littoral, this paper addresses several biodiversity shortfalls (see Hortal et al. 2015), namely the need to catalogue the Azorean macroalgae (Linnean shortfall) and improve the current information on their local and regional geographic distribution (Wallacean shortfall), as well as on species abundances and dynamics in space (Prestonian shortfall).
Sampling Description
Study Extent
This study covers a relatively large area, approximately 39 km2, covering littoral and sublittoral levels down to approximately 40 m around the Island.Sampling
Intertidal collections were made at low tide by walking over the shores. Subtidal collections were made by scuba diving around the area. Sampling encompassed both physical collections and species presence recordings. For the former, in each sampling location, collections were made manually by scraping one or two specimens of species found into previously labelled bags. Species recording data was gathered by registering all species present in the sampled locations visited. Complementary data e.g. shore level (high, mid, low), orientation and type of substrate (bedrock, boulders, cobbles, mixed), habitat (tide pool, open rock, gully, crevice, cave) was also recorded.Quality Control
Each sampled taxon was investigated by trained taxonomists with the help of keys and floras. This involved morphological and anatomical examination by eye or under the dissecting and compound microscopes of an entire specimen or slide preparation. In difficult cases specimens were sent to experts for identification.Method steps
- In the laboratory the specimens were sorted and studied following standard procedures used in macroalgae identification. Species identification was based on morphological and anatomical characters and reproductive structures. For small and simple thalli, this required the observation of the entire thallus with the naked eye and/or using dissecting and compound microscopes. For larger and more complex algae, the investigation of the thallus anatomy required histological work to obtain longitudinal and transverse sections needed for the observation of cells, reproductive structures and other diagnosing characters. The Azorean algal flora has components from several geographical regions which makes for difficulties in identification. Floras and identification keys to macroalgae in the Atlantic and Western Mediterranean were used in species identification (e.g. Schmidt 1931, Taylor 1967, 1978, Levring 1974, Dixon & Irvine 1977, Lawson & John 1982, Irvine 1983, Gayral & Cosson 1986, Fletcher 1987, Afonso-Carrillo & Sansón 1989, Burrows 1991, Boudouresque et al. 1992, Cabioc'h et al. 1992, Maggs & Hommersand 1993, Irvine & Chamberlain 1994, Brodie et al. 2007, Lloréns et al. 2012 and Rodríguez-Prieto et al. 2013). For more critical and taxonomically difficult taxa, specimens were taken to the Natural History Museum (London) for comparison with collections there, or sent to appropriate specialists. A reference collection was made for all collected specimens by assigning them an herbarium code number and depositing them at the AZB Herbarium Ruy Telles Palhinha, University of Azores. Depending on the species and on planned further research, different types of collections were made, namely (i) liquid collections using 5% buffered formaldehyde seawater and then replacing it by the fixing agent Kew (Bridsen & Forman 1999); (ii) dried collections, either by pressing the algae (most species) as described by Gayral and Cosson (1986), or by letting them air dry (calcareous species); and (iii) silica collections. Nomenclatural and taxonomic status used here follow Algaebase (Guiry & Guiry, 2020). The database was organized on FileMaker Pro.
Additional info
Additional information on this study may also be requested to the first author.Taxonomic Coverages
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Rhodophytacommon name: Red algae rank: phylum
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Chlorophytacommon name: Green algae rank: phylum
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Ochrophytacommon name: Brown algae rank: phylum
Geographic Coverages
Bibliographic Citations
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Contacts
Ana Isabel Netooriginator
position: Associate professor with aggregation
Universidade dos Açores, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Departamento de Biologia and Grupo de Investigação Aquática Insular, IBBC-GBA/cE3c
Rua da Mãe de Deus, 13-A
Ponta Delgada
9500-321
São Miguel, Açores
PT
Telephone: +351296650567
email: ana.im.neto@uac.pt
homepage: http://ce3c.ciencias.ulisboa.pt/member/anaisabelneto
userId: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0708-5636
Afonso C. L. Prestes
originator
position: Researcher
Universidade dos Açores, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Departamento de Biologia and Grupo de Investigação Aquática Insular, IBBC-GBA/cE3c
Rua da Mãe de Deus, 13-A
Ponta Delgada, Açores
9501-801
São Miguel, Açores
PT
Telephone: +351296650567
email: afonso.cl.prestes@uac.pt
homepage: https://ce3c.ciencias.ulisboa.pt/member/afonsoprestes
userId: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4329-251X
Nuno Vaz Álvaro
originator
position: Researcher
Universidade dos Açores, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias, CCMMG (Centro do Clima Meteorologia e Mudanças Globais), IITA-A (Instituto de Investigação e Tecnologias Agrárias e do Ambiente)
Campus de Angra do Heroísmo Rua Capitão João d’Ávlia – Pico da Urze
Angra dp Heroísmo
9700-042
Terceira, Açores
PT
email: nuno.ms.alvaro@uac.pt
homepage: http://cita.angra.uac.pt/clima/equipa/ver.php?id=245
userId: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6967-7170
Roberto Resendes
originator
position: Curator at the AZB-Herbarium Ruy Telles Palhinha
Universidade dos Açores, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Departamento de Biologia
Rua da Mãe de Deus, 13-A
Ponta Delgada
9500-321
São Miguel, Açores
PT
Telephone: +351296650000, ext. 1731
email: roberto.resendes@uac.pt
Raul M. A. Neto
originator
position: Collaborator
NA
PT
email: raulmaneto@gmail.com
Ian Tittley
originator
position: Science Associate
Natural History Museum
Cromwell Road
London
Code SW7 5BD
GB
Telephone: 00 44 1227 365671
email: mmit@waitrose.com
Ignacio Moreu
originator
position: Researcher
Universidade dos Açores, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Departamento de Biologia and Grupo de Investigação Aquática Insular, IBBC-GBA/cE3c
Rua da Mãe de Deus, 13-A
Ponta Delgada
9500-321
São Miguel, Açores
PT
Telephone: +351296650567
email: nacho.moreu.badia@gmail.com
homepage: https://ce3c.ciencias.ulisboa.pt/member/Ignacio_Moreu_Badia
userId: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1225-4668
Ana Isabel Neto
metadata author
position: Associate professor with aggregation
Universidade dos Açores, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Departamento de Biologia and Grupo de Investigação Aquática Insular, IBBC-GBA/cE3c
Rua da Mãe de Deus, 13-A
Ponta Delgada
9500-321
São Miguel, Açores
PT
Telephone: +351296650567
email: ana.im.neto@uac.pt
homepage: http://ce3c.ciencias.ulisboa.pt/member/anaisabelneto
userId: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0708-5636
Ignacio Moreu
metadata author
position: Researcher
Universidade dos Açores, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Departamento de Biologia and Grupo de Investigação Aquática Insular, IBBC-GBA/cE3c
Rua da Mãe de Deus, 13-A
Ponta Delgada
9500-321
São Miguel, Açores
PT
Telephone: +351296650567
email: nacho.moreu.badia@gmail.com
homepage: https://ce3c.ciencias.ulisboa.pt/member/Ignacio_Moreu_Badia
userId: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1225-4668
Ana Isabel Neto
author
position: Associate professor with aggregation
Universidade dos Açores, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Departamento de Biologia and Grupo de Investigação Aquática Insular, IBBC-GBA/cE3c
Rua da Mãe de Deus, 13-A
Ponta Delgada
9500-321
São Miguel, Açores
PT
Telephone: +351296650567
email: ana.im.neto@uac.pt
homepage: http://ce3c.ciencias.ulisboa.pt/member/anaisabelneto
userId: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0708-5636
Ignacio Moreu
author
position: Researcher
Universidade dos Açores, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Departamento de Biologia and Grupo de Investigação Aquática Insular, IBBC-GBA/cE3c
Rua da Mãe de Deus, 13-A
Ponta Delgada
9500-321
São Miguel, Açores
PT
Telephone: +351296650567
email: nacho.moreu.badia@gmail.com
homepage: https://ce3c.ciencias.ulisboa.pt/member/Ignacio_Moreu_Badia
userId: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1225-4668
Ana Isabel Neto
administrative point of contact
position: Associate professor with aggregation
Universidade dos Açores, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Departamento de Biologia and Grupo de Investigação Aquática Insular, IBBC-GBA/cE3c
Rua da Mãe de Deus, 13-A
Ponta Delgada
9500-321
São Miguel, Açores
PT
Telephone: +351296650567
email: ana.im.neto@uac.pt
homepage: http://ce3c.ciencias.ulisboa.pt/member/anaisabelneto
userId: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0708-5636