• ALGAE
• /
• v.26 no.3
• /
• pp.265-275
• /
• 2011

This study examined the bioaccumulation of the heavy metals copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) by the giant kelp, Macrocystis pyrifera, by exposing meristematic kelp tissue to elevated metal concentrations in seawater within laboratory aquaria. Specifically, we carried out two different experiments. The first examined metal uptake under a single, ecologically-relevant elevation of each metal (30 ppb Cu and 100 ppb Zn), and the second examined the relationships between varying levels of the metals (i.e., 15, 39, 60, 120, 240, and 480 ppb Cu, and 50, 100, 200, 300, 500, and 600 ppb Zn). Both experiments were designed to contrast the uptake of the metals in isolation (i.e., when only one metal concentration was elevated) and in combination (i.e., when both metals' concentrations were elevated). Following three days of exposure to the elevated metal concentrations, we collected and analyzed the M. pyrifera tissues using inductively coupled plasma atomic emissions spectroscopy. Our results indicated that M. pyrifera bioaccumulated Cu in all treatments where Cu concentrations in the seawater were elevated, regardless of whether Zn concentrations were also elevated. Similarly, M. pyrifera bioaccumulated Zn in treatments where seawater Zn concentrations were elevated, but this occurred only when we increased Zn alone, and not when we simultaneously increased Cu concentrations. This suggests that elevated Cu concentrations inhibit Zn uptake, but not vice versa. Following this, our second experiment examined the relationships among varying seawater Cu and Zn concentrations and their bioaccumulation by M. pyrifera. Here, our results indicated that, as their concentrations in the seawater rise, Cu and Zn uptake by M. pyrifera tissue also rises. As with the first experiment, the presence of elevated Zn in the water did not appear to affect Cu uptake at any concentration examined. However, although it was not statistically significant, we observed that the presence of elevated Cu in seawater appeared to trend toward inhibiting Zn uptake, especially at higher levels of the metals. This study suggests that M. pyrifera may be useful as a bio-indicator species for monitoring heavy metal pollution in coastal environments.

• ALGAE
• /
• v.29 no.3
• /
• pp.203-215
• /
• 2014

As global warming continues over the coming century, marine organisms will experience a warmer, more acidic ocean. Although these stressors may behave antagonistically or synergistically and will impact organisms both directly (i.e., physiologically) and indirectly (i.e., through altered species interactions), few studies have examined the complexities of these effects in combination. To address these uncertainties, we examined the independent and combined effects of elevated temperature and $pCO_2$ on the physiology of the adult sporophyte stage of giant kelp, Macrocystis pyrifera, and the grazing of the purple sea urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus. While elevating $pCO_2$ alone had no effect on M. pyrifera growth or photosynthetic carbon uptake, elevating temperature alone resulted in a significant reduction in both. However, when M. pyrifera was grown under elevated temperature and $pCO_2$ together, growth and photosynthetic carbon uptake significantly increased relative to ambient conditions, suggesting an interaction of these factors on photosynthetic physiology. S. purpuratus held under future conditions generally exhibited reduced growth, and smaller gonads than urchins held under present-day conditions. However, urchins fed kelp grown under future conditions showed higher growth rates, partially ameliorating this effect. Feeding rates were variable over the course of the experiment, with only the first feeding rate experiment showing significantly lower rates for urchins held under future conditions. Together, these data suggest that M. pyrifera may benefit physiologically from a warmer, more acidic (i.e., higher $pCO_2$) ocean while S. purpuratus will likely be impacted negatively. Given that kelp-urchin interactions can be important to kelp forest structure, changes to either of these populations may have serious consequences for many coastal environments.

• ALGAE
• /
• v.35 no.2
• /
• pp.167-176
• /
• 2020

Iodine exists as a trace element in seawater, with total iodine being generally constant at about 0.45-0.55 μM. Almost all of this iodine occurs in two main forms: iodate and iodide. Iodate is the thermodynamically stable form under normal seawater conditions, and thus should be the only iodine-containing species in the water column. However, iodate concentrations are found to vary considerably, being generally greater at depth and lower at the surface, while iodide concentrations follow the reverse pattern, being anomalously accumulated in the euphotic zone and decreasing with depth. The fact that iodide concentrations follow a depth dependence corresponding to the euphotic zone suggests that biological activity is the source of the reduced iodine. Nonetheless, the nature and source of iodate reduction activity remains controversial. Here, using a combination of field and laboratory studies, we examine some of the questions raised in our and other previous studies, and seek further correlations between changes in iodine speciation and the presence of marine macro- and microalgae. The present results indicate that microalgal growth per se does not seem to be responsible for the reduction of iodate to iodide. However, there is some support for the hypothesis that iodate reduction can occur due to release of cellular reducing agents that accompany cell senescence during phytoplankton bloom declines. In addition, support is given to the concept that macroalgal species such as giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera) can take up both iodide and iodate from seawater (albeit on a slower time scale). We propose a mechanism whereby iodate is reduced to iodide at the cell surface by cell surface reductases and is taken up directly as such without reentering the bulk solution.

• ALGAE
• /
• v.35 no.3
• /
• pp.237-252
• /
• 2020

Temperate rocky reefs dominated by the giant kelp, Macrocystis pyrifera, support diverse assemblages of benthic macroalgae that provide a suite of ecosystem services, including high rates of primary production in aquatic ecosystems. These forests and the benthic macroalgae that inhabit them are facing both short-term losses and long-term declines throughout much of their range in the eastern Pacific Ocean. Here, we quantified patterns of benthic macroalgal biomass and irradiance on rocky reefs that had intact kelp forests and nearby reefs where the benthic macroalgae had been lost due to deforestation at three sites along the California, USA and Baja California, MEX coasts during the springs and summers of 2017 and 2018. We then modeled how the loss of macroalgae from these reefs impacted net benthic productivity using species-specific, mass-dependent rates of photosynthesis and respiration that we measured in the laboratory. Our results show that the macroalgal assemblages at these sites were dominated by a few species of stipitate kelps and fleshy red algae whose relative abundances were spatially and temporally variable, and which exhibited variable rates of photosynthesis and respiration. Together, our model estimates that the dominant macroalgae on these reefs contribute 15 to 4,300 mg C m^-2 d^-1 to net benthic primary production, and that this is driven primarily by a few dominant taxa that have large biomasses and high rates of photosynthesis and / or respiration. Consequently, we propose that the loss of these macroalgae results in the loss of an important contribution to primary production and overall ecosystem function.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.28 no.10
• /
• pp.1671-1682
• /
• 2018

Alginate lyases (endo and exo-lyases) are required for the degradation of alginate into its constituting monomers. Efficient bioethanol production and extraction of bioactives from brown algae requires intensive use of these enzymes. Nonetheless, there are few commercial alginate lyase preparations, and their costs make them unsuitable for large scale experiments. A recombinant expression protocol has been developed in this study for producing seven endo-lyases and three exo-lyases as soluble and highly active preparations. Saccharification of alginate using 21 different endo/exo-lyase combinations shows that there is complementary enzymatic activity between some of the endo/exo pairs. This is probably due to favorable matching of their substrate biases for the different glycosidic bonds in the alginate molecule. Therefore, selection of enzymes for the best saccharification results for a given biomass should be based on screens comprising both types of lyases. Additionally, different incubation temperatures, enzyme load ratios, and enzyme loading strategies were assessed using the best four enzyme combinations for treating Macrocystis pyrifera biomass. It was shown that $30^{\circ}C$ with a 1:3 endo/exo loading ratio was suitable for all four combinations. Moreover, simultaneous loading of endo-and exo-lyases at the beginning of the reaction allowed maximum alginate saccharification in half the time than when the exo-lyases were added sequentially.

• ALGAE
• /
• v.34 no.2
• /
• pp.141-151
• /
• 2019

The 1982-83, 1986-87, 1991-92, and 1997-98 El $Ni{\tilde{n}}o$-Southern Oscillations (ENSOs) were compared with regards to their strength and timing in the tropical Pacific Ocean, changes in ocean temperature and wave intensity, and their impacts to giant kelp populations in the Northeast Pacific. The Multivariate ENSO Index, oceanographic data, and kelp abundance data all show that the 1982-83 and 1997-98 ENSOs were stronger and resulted in greater losses of giant kelp than the 1986-87 and 1991-92 ENSOs, but that the 1982-83 and 1997-98 ENSOs differed with regard to the arrival of destructive waves relative to when the ocean waters warmed and cooled. The 1982-83 ENSO was more destructive to the giant kelp populations in central California, USA than the 1997-98 ENSO, but the 1997-98 ENSO was more destructive to the giant kelp in southern California. These events appeared similarly destructive to the populations in Baja California, Mexico. Recovery of the kelp populations also varied among the two strong ENSOs due to the ocean conditions following each ENSO. In southern and Baja California, recovery was slow following the 1982-83 ENSO, while recovery was more rapid following the 1997-98 ENSO. Unfortunately, the monitoring programs used to evaluate the kelp populations stopped shortly after the 1997-98 ENSO, resulting in a lack of data for comparisons with the more recent weak ENSOs that occurred between 2002 and 2010, or with the strong ENSO that occurred in 2014-2016. This supports the need for continued long-term monitoring programs to better understand how climate anomalies impact coastal ecosystems.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
• /
• v.31 no.1
• /
• pp.82-89
• /
• 1998

Partial hydrolyzing condition for low-molecularized alginate and rheological properties such as viscosity, solubility, emulsitying ability, oil absorption capacity, bile acids binding and metal ion binding of the low-molecularized alginates from the sea mustard ( Undaria pinnatifida) and giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera) were investigated. Alginate from sea mustard was regularly hydrolyzed with the increase of HCl concentration in the range of 0.2 N to 0.5 N and with the prolonged reaction time at $100^{\circ}C$. The molecular weight of alginate was decreased to a part of 100 after hydrolysis for 50 min with 0.3 N HCl. The ratio of mannuronate to guluronate was increased with the acid hydrolysis and total yield was estimated to be $75\%\~80\%$. Low-molecularization of alginate was featured in the apparent decrease of viscosity, whereas solubility, emulsifying ability, and bile acids binding ability were increased with the low-molecularization. Oil absorption capacity of the acid$\cdot$alkali soluble alginate was slightly higher than that of the water soluble alginate. Metal ion binding capacity was the highest in acid$\cdot$alkali soluble alginate, and decreased with the low-molecularization.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
• /
• v.31 no.3
• /
• pp.399-408
• /
• 1998

The effect of low molecular alginates feeding on the cholesterol levels and fatty acid compositions of rat serum and liver lipid were investigated. After one week basal diet feeding, four week old Sprague-Dawley male rats were fed with water soluble and acid $\cdot$alkali soluble alginate extracted from sea mustard (Undaria pinnatifida) and giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera), and their low molecular alginates prepared by the HCl partial hydrolysis. The feeding efficiency of the alginate fed group was ranged in 0.37$\~$0.44, which was 0.03$\~$0.05 lower than that of the basal diet group. Also, there was much less increase of liver weight in the alginate fed group. The water soluble alginate showed more significant effect in reducing the total cholesterol, free cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, triglyceride and phospholipid of serum and liver lipid than the acid$\cdot$alkali soluble alginate. The effect was much better with low molecular alginate (reducing effect by the low-molecularization : Water soluble alginate - serum lipid; total cholesterol $59\%$, free cholesterol $65\%$, LDL-cholesterol $96\%$, triglyceride $50\%$, and phospholipid $36\%$. liver lipid: total cholesterol $4\%$, free cholesterol $62\%$, LDL-cholesterol $44\%$, triglyceride $33\%$, and phospholipid $44\%$. acid$\cdot$alkali soluble alginate - serum lipid; total cholesterol $52\%$: free cholesterol $97\%$, LDL-cholesterol $78\%$ triglyceride $32\%$, and phospholipid $64\%$. liver lipid; total cholesterol $11\%$, free cholesterol $12\%$, LDL-cholesterol $10\%$, triglyceride $27\%$, and phospholipid $21\%$). The effect of low molecular alginate feeding on the fatty acid composition of serum and liver lipid reflects the remarkable increase of polyenoic acid, over $44\%$ in serum lipid and about $70\%$ in liver lipid, comparing to the cholesterol fed group. The overall results indicated that feeding of low molecular alginates improves physiological function of rats by changing the serum and liver lipid composition.