Marine algal (seaweed) flora of Faial Island, Azores

David Milla-Figueras; Ana Isabel Neto; Fernando Tempera; Ignacio Moreu; Afonso C. L. Prestes; Roberto Resendes; Raul M. A. Neto; Ian Tittley; Pedro Afonso

doi:10.15468/dsajcw

Marine algal (seaweed) flora of Faial Island, Azores

Citation

Milla-Figueras D, Neto A I, Tempera F, Moreu I, Prestes A C L, Resendes R, Neto R M A, Tittley I, Afonso P (2024). Marine algal (seaweed) flora of Faial Island, Azores. Version 1.11. Universidade dos Açores. Sampling event dataset https://doi.org/10.15468/dsajcw accessed via GBIF.org on 2024-12-14.

Description

This occurrence dataset lists the macroalgal taxonomic records compiled from field studies done at Faial Island (central group of the Azores archipelago) and provides information on each species’ ecology and occurrence on the island’s littoral. Collections were undertaken by Department of Oceanography and Fisheries of the University of the Azores and Island Aquatic Research Group of the Azorean Biodiversity Centre of the University of the Azores at the littoral and shallow sublittoral levels. A total of 2283 specimens are registered (including taxa identified only at generic level) belonging to 118 taxa of macroalgae comprising 61 Rhodophyta, 26 Chlorophyta, 30 Ochrophyta (Phaeophyceae) and 1 Cyanophyta (Cyanobacteria). From these, 23 are new records for the island, five are introduced, and twelve have an uncertain status. Most species were only sporadically observed on the island’s littoral, but three Rhodophyta were commonly found, namely: Asparagopsis taxiformis (Delile) Trevisan, Asparagopsis armata Harvey and Pterocladiella capillacea (S.G.Gmelin) Santel. & Hommers; as well as the four Ochrophyta: Halopteris filicina (Grateloup) Kützing, Lobophora variegata (J.V.Lamouroux) Womersley ex E.C.Oliveira, Dictyota dichotoma (Hudson) J.V.Lamouroux, Padina pavonica (Linnaeus) Thivy. Although representing an incomplete list of the seaweeds occurring in Faial, this occurrence dataset is a contribution to the knowledge of the marine alga flora of that island. For each taxon presented, it provides general information on its occurrence on the island’s littoral, and thus contributes to address 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). It aims to provide information for biological studies such as systematics, diversity and conservation, biological monitoring, climate change and ecology, and for academics, students, government, private organizations, and the general public.

Sampling Description

Study Extent

Collections were performed at littoral and sublittoral levels down to approximately 40 m around the island of Faial.

Sampling

Intertidal collections were made at low tide by walking along the shores. Subtidal collections were made by scuba diving. 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 all different species found into previously labelled bags. The 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

The methodology adopted to identify each sampled taxon comprised morphological and anatomical observations of the whole specimens or slide preparations with the naked eye and using dissecting and compound microscopes, in order to characterize the diagnosing structures described in the literature and compare them with descriptions from other locations. In more difficult cases, specimens were sent to experts for identification.

Method steps

In the laboratory the specimens were accommodated, sorted and studied following standard procedures used in macroalgae identification. Species identification was based on morphological and anatomical characters and reproductive structures. Identifying small and simple thallus required the observation of the entire thallus with the naked eye and/or using dissecting and compound microscopes. For large 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 characteristics. Various floras and keys from elsewhere were used for species identification, namely 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 specimens collected by giving them an herbarium code number and depositing them at the AZB Herbarium Ruy Telles Palhinha, University of Azores. Depending on the species and on further planned research, different types of collections were made, namely (i) liquid collections using 5% buffered formaldehyde seawater and then replacing it by Kew (Bridsen & Forman 1999); (ii) dried collections, either by pressing the algae (most species) following the method 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, 2021). The database was organized on FileMaker Pro.

Additional info

Additional information on this study may also be requested to the first author

Taxonomic Coverages

All macroalgae were identified to genus or species. In total, 118 taxa were identified belonging to 24 orders and 50 families, distributed by the phyla Rhodophyta (12 orders and 31 families), Chlorophyta (4 orders and 8 families), Ochrophyta (7 orders and 10 families), and Cyanobacteria (1 order and 1 family).

Rhodophyta
common name: Red Algae rank: phylum
Chlorophyta
common name: Green Algae rank: phylum
Ochrophyta
common name: Brown Algae rank: phylum
Cyanobacteria
common name: Cyanophyta rank: phylum

Geographic Coverages

Faial Island, Azores, Macaronesia, Portugal (approximately 38°39′12″N 28°50′41″W).

Bibliographic Citations

References Afonso-Carrillo J & Sansón M, 1989. Clave llustrada para la Determinación de los Macrófitos Marinas Bentónicos de las Islas Canarias. Departamento de Biologia Vegetal (Botânica), Universidad de La Laguna, La Laguna. 55 pp. Boudouresque C-F, Meinesz A & Verlaque M, 1992. Médíterranée. In Boudouresque C-F et aL. (Eds.), Guide des Algues des Mers d'Europe, pp: 138-231. Delachaux et Niestlé, Paris. Bridsen D & Forman L (Eds), 1999. The Herbarium Handbook. Third Edition. Kew: The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. xii, 334p., ISBN 1-900347-43-1. Brodie J, Maggs C, John DM (Eds.), 2007. The green seaweeds of Britain and Ireland. British Phycological Society, XII+242 pp. Dunmurry, Northern Ireland. Burrows EM, 1991. Seaweeds of the British lsles. Vol. 2. Chlorophyta. Natural History Museum, London. XII + 238 pp. Cabioc'h J, Floc'h J-Y & Le Toquin A, 1992. Manche et Atlantique. ln C.-F. Boudouresque, et al. (Eds.), Cuide des Algues des Mers d'Europe, pp: 30-136. Delachaux et Niestlé, Paris. Dixon SP & Irvine ML, 1977. Seaweeds of the British Isles. Vol. I Rhodophyta. Part 1 Introduction, Nemaliales, Gigartinales. XI+252p. British Museum (Natural History) London. Dores VR, 2006. Faial in Triângulo – Livro de Ouro. Clássica, Publicações, Publicidade e Marketing, Lda, Ponta Delgada. Fletcher RL, 1987. Seaweeds of the British Isles. Vol. III. Fucophyceae (Phaeophyceae). Part 1. X+359p. British Museum (Natural History) London. Gayral P & Cosson J, 1986. Connaitre et reconnaitre les algues marines. 220p. Ouest France. Guiry MD & Guiry GM, 2020. AlgaeBase. World-wide electronic publication, National University of Ireland, Galway. https://www.algaebase.org; searched on 30 March. Hortal J, de Bello F, Diniz-Filho JAF, Lewinsohn TM, Lobo JM & Ladle RJ (2015). Seven shortfalls that beset large-scale knowledge of biodiversity. Annual Review of Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics, 46, 523-549. Instituto Hidrográfico, 1981. Roteiro do Arquipélago dos Açores. PUB. (N) -lli-128-SN, Lisboa. Irvine ML, 1983. Seaweeds of the British Isles. Vol. I Rhodophyta. Part 2 A Cryptonemiales (sensu stricto), Palmariales, Rhodymeniales. XII+115p. British Museum (Natural History) London. Irvine ML & Chamberlain YM, 1994. Seaweeds of the British Isles. Vol. 1. Rhodophyta. Part 2B. Corallinales, Hildenbrandiales. Natural History Museum, London. VII + 276 pp. Lawson Gw & John Dm, 1982. The marine algae and coastal environment of Tropical West Africa. 455p. Beihefte zur Nova Hedwigia, J. CRAMER, Vaduz. Levring T, 1974. The marine algae of the archipelago of Madeira. Boletim do Museu Municipal do Funchal, 28 (125): 5-111. Lloréns JLP, Cabrero IH, Lacida RB, González GP, Murillo FGB & Oñate JJV, 2012. Flora marina del litoral gaditano. Biologia, ecologia, usos y guía de identificacíon. 368 p. mCN Monografias de Ciencias de la Naturaleza. Servicio de Publicaciones de la Universidad de Cadiz, Cadiz. Maggs CA & Hommersand MH, 1993. Seaweeds of tfte British Jsles. Vol1. Rhodophyta. Part 3A. Ceramiales. Natural History Museum, London. xv + 444 pp. Morton, B, Britton JC, Martins AMF, 1998. Coastal Ecology of the Azores. Sociedade Afonso Chaves, Ponta Delgada. 249pp. Neto AI & Tittley I, 1995. Structure and zonation of algal turf communities on the Azores: a numerical approach. Boletim do Museu Municipal do Funchal, Sup. 4: 487-504. http://hdl.handle.net/10400.3/1771 Rodríguez-Prieto C, Ballesteros E, Boisset F & Afonso-Carrillo J, 2013. Guía de las macroalgas y fanerógamas marinas del Mediterráneo Occidental. 656 p. Ed. Omega, S.A., Barcelona. Schmidt OC, 1931. Die marine vegetation der Azoren in ihren Grundzügen dargestellt. Bibliotheca Botanica, 24(102): IX+116p., 10 Tafl. Taylor WR, 1967. Marine algae of the northeastern coasts of North America. VIII+509p. The University of Michigan Press. Taylor WR, 1978. Marine algae of the eastern tropical and subtropical coasts of the Americas. XXI+870p. The University of Michigan Press. Tittley I & Neto AI, 1994. "Expedition Azores 1989". Benthic marine algae (seaweeds) recorded from Faial and Pico. Arquipélago. Life and Marine Sciences, 12A: 1-13. http://hdl.handle.net/10400.3/1172 -

Contacts

David Milla-Figueras
originator
position: Researcher
Okeanos / IMAR - Institute of Marine Research; University of the Azores
Rua Prof. Dr. Frederico Machado, 4
Horta
9900-138
Azores
PT
email: davidmfigueras@gmail.com
userId: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5368-2664

Ana Isabel Neto
originator
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
Azores
PT
email: ana.im.neto@uac.pt
userId: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0708-5636

Fernando Tempera
originator
position: Researcher
IMAR-Institute of Marine Research, University of the Azores
Rua Prof. Dr. Frederico Machado, 4
Horta
9900-138
Azores
PT
email: ftempera@hotmail.com
userId: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9495-3731

Ignacio Moreu
originator
position: Researcher
Universidade Universidad de Málaga. Instituto andaluz de Biotecnología y Desarrollo Azul (IBYDA). Centro Experimental Grice Hutchinson
Lomas de San Julián, 2
Málaga
29004
Málaga
ES
email: nacho.moreu.badia@gmail.com
userId: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1225-4668

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
9500-321
Azores
PT
email: afonso.cl.prestes@uac.pt
userId: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4329-251X

Roberto Resendes
originator
position: Curator
Universidade dos Açores, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Departamento de Biologia
Rua da Mãe de Deus, 13-A
Ponta Delgada
9500-321
Azores
PT
email: roberto.resendes@uac.pt

Raul M. A. Neto
originator
position: n/a
n/a
Odivelas
PT
email: raulmaneto@gmail.com

Ian Tittley
originator
position: Researcher
Natural History Museum
Cromwell Road
London
SW7 5BD
GB
email: mmit@waitrose.com

Pedro Afonso
originator
position: Researcher
Okeanos / IMAR - Institute of Marine Research; University of the Azores
Rua Prof. Dr. Frederico Machado, 4
Horta
9900-138
Azores
PT
email: pafonsopim@gmail.com
userId: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4618-2589

David Milla-Figueras
metadata author
position: Researcher
Okeanos / IMAR - Institute of Marine Research; University of the Azores
Rua Prof. Dr. Frederico Machado, 4
Horta
9900-138
Azores
PT
email: davidmfigueras@gmail.com
userId: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5368-2664

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
Azores
PT
email: ana.im.neto@uac.pt
userId: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0708-5636

David Milla-Figueras
point of contact
position: Researcher
Okeanos / Institute of Marine Research; University of the Azores
Rua Prof. Dr. Frederico Machado, 4
Horta
9900-138
Azores
PT
email: davidmfigueras@gmail.com
userId: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5368-2664

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
Azores
PT
email: ana.im.neto@uac.pt
userId: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0708-5636

David Milla-Figueras
administrative point of contact
position: Researcher
Okeanos / IMAr - Institute of Marine Research; University of the Azores
Rua Prof. Dr. Frederico Machado, 4
Horta
9900-138
Azores
PT
email: davidmfigueras@gmail.com
userId: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5368-2664