Range Extension of Mesophotic Kelps (Ochrophyta: Laminariales and Tilopteridales) in the Central North Atlantic: Opportunities for Marine Forest Research and Conservation - Archive ouverte HAL Accéder directement au contenu
Article Dans Une Revue Journal of Phycology Année : 2021

Range Extension of Mesophotic Kelps (Ochrophyta: Laminariales and Tilopteridales) in the Central North Atlantic: Opportunities for Marine Forest Research and Conservation

David Milla‐figueras
  • Fonction : Auteur
Ana Luísa Sinde‐mano
  • Fonction : Auteur
Elizabeth Atchoi
  • Fonction : Auteur
Pedro Afonso
  • Fonction : Auteur

Résumé

Kelp was first recorded for the remote warm‐temperate Azores archipelago (central North Atlantic) as late as 1971, when a few Laminaria specimens were collected on the Formigas Bank at depths beyond conventional SCUBA diving reach. A shortage of technical means and projects targeting mesophotic environments has since kept this offshore marine protected area as the single known kelp occurrence site. Here, we present new kelp records collected on previously unexplored mesophotic reefs using remote imaging systems, open and closed‐circuit SCUBA diving and fisheries by‐catch information. The new data extends the known distribution range of kelp in the Azores 350 km to the west and 25 km to the southwest, henceforth including several island shelves in eastern and central Azores. In addition to the previously recorded Laminaria ochroleuca, kelp specimens with a morphology akin to Phyllariopsis brevipes subsp. brevipes are also reported. For the first time, seabed imagery is used to document the depth‐wise diversity of the Azores kelp beds and their associated biota. Our findings emphasize the poor knowledge that persists in regard to Macaronesia’s mesophotic environments located beyond conventional SCUBA diving limits. The new on‐shelf kelp occurrences add conservation value to coastal areas and should facilitate island‐based research. However, their greater proximity to land‐based impacts and exposure to climate change also raise management needs.

Dates et versions

hal-04203366 , version 1 (11-09-2023)

Identifiants

Citer

Fernando Tempera, David Milla‐figueras, Ana Luísa Sinde‐mano, Elizabeth Atchoi, Pedro Afonso. Range Extension of Mesophotic Kelps (Ochrophyta: Laminariales and Tilopteridales) in the Central North Atlantic: Opportunities for Marine Forest Research and Conservation. Journal of Phycology, 2021, 57 (4), pp.1140-1150. ⟨10.1111/jpy.13162⟩. ⟨hal-04203366⟩
1 Consultations
0 Téléchargements

Altmetric

Partager

Gmail Facebook X LinkedIn More