Macroalgae in the Biosphere 2 ocean

Sampling procedure

• Transect lines divided ocean into quadrats

• One ring was dropped in a random location within each quadrat

• Algae within each ring was collected

• Algae was identified

• Algae was dried and weighed

Amphiroa

Jania

Haliptilon

Gelidiopsis

Chondrus

Species List

RHODOPHYTAAcanthophora spiciferaAmphiroa fragilissimaAmphiroa rigidaBotryocladia pyriformis Chondria dasyphylla Flahaultia Gracilaria tikvahiaeGelidiopsis intricataHaliptilon cubense Halymenia duchassaingiiJania adhaerensMesophyllum mesomorphumPeyssonnelia Rhodogorgon carriebowensis Sporolithon

CHLOROPHYTACaulerpa serrulata Chaetomorpha sp. Dictyosphaeria cavernosaDictyosphaeria ocellata Enteromorpha sp.Ernodesmis verticillataHalimeda incrassataHalimeda tuna Rhipocephalus divericata Rhipocephalus phoenixValonia aegagropilaValonia macrophysaValonia utricularisVentricaria ventricosa

PHEOPHYTADictyota cervicornisDictyota divercataDictyota mertensiiDictyota pulchella Padina sp.

Shannon-Weiner Diversity Indices

Oct 1999 0.55Nov 1999 0.58Dec 1999 0.55Jan 2000 0.51Feb 2000 0.45Mar 2000 0.42Jun 2000 0.47Sep 2000 0.43Nov 2000 0.52Jan 2001 0.66Mar 2001 0.64Aug 2001 0.59

Jan 2002 0.59Mar 2002 0.56May 2002 0.55Jul 2002 0.62Sep 2002 0.50Jan 2003 0.63Mar 2003 0.65June 2003 1.21Aug 2003 1.08Oct 2003 0.97

Dominant species biomass

0500100015002000250030003500

Oct-99

Jan-00

Jun-00

Jan-01

Aug-01

May-02

Jan-03

3-Aug

sample date

bio

ma

ss

(g

) AF

CD

JA

GI

HC

Total Biomass over time

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

Sample date

Bio

ma

ss (g

)

Future analyses

• Correlations with environmental factors

• light• CO2• nutrients

• Comparisons with natural reef environments

Photo references

• www.botany.hawaii.edu/ReefAlgae/ What%20plants• rmocfis.upr.clu.edu/~ballan/ haliptilon.html • www.coralreefnetwork.com/rhodophyta.html• www.ne.jp/asahi/marine/ algae/Chondria1.html• www.space.com/biosphere2_001110.html (bio2)• garion.tzo.com/lynn/ biosphere2.htm (bio2)• www.kynn.com/photos/2001/ 03/arizona/biosphere_2