• ALGAE
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.115-123
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• 2012

The establishment of algal spores plays an essential role in adult kelp distribution and abundance patterns. Sedimentation is a key variable regulating algal spore settlement and success, possibly controlling species-specific dominance $in$ $situ$. Laboratory experiments were used to determine spore attachment and survival rates of two Alaskan canopy-forming kelps, $Nereocystis$ $luetkeana$ (K. Mertens) Postels & Ruprecht and $Eualaria$ $fistulosa$ (Postels & Ruprecht) M. J. Wynne, to various types of sediment loading. Spore attachment for both species was significantly and similarly affected by three sediment treatments: suspended particles; settled sediment covering the substratum; and smothering of attached spores by settling sediment. Spore attachment decreased by approximately 90% at 420 mg sediment $L^{-1}$, the highest sediment load tested here, under all three treatments for both species. These results suggest that increases in sedimentation may constrain the success of the spore stages, but sediment does not seem to be a likely factor explaining species-specific distribution patterns. However, while sedimentation affected spores of both species similarly, timing of spore release in relation to times of maximum sediment load in the water might differ for different species, possibly explaining kelp species distribution patterns.

• ALGAE
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.223-233
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• 2017

Kelp forests and the many vital ecosystem services they provide are threatened as the severity of climate change and other anthropogenic stressors continues to mount. Particularly in the North Pacific, sea surface temperature is warming and glacial melt is decreasing salinity. This study explored the resiliency of early life-history stages of these foundation species through a factorial laboratory experiment. The effects of rising sea surface temperature under low salinity conditions on kelp spore settlement and initial gametophyte growth in Eualaria fistulosa, Nereocystis luetkeana, and Saccharina latissima were investigated. Decreased settlement and growth were observed in these species at elevated temperatures and at low salinity. Eualaria fistulosa spores and gametophytes were the most negatively impacted, compared to the more widely distributed N. luetkeana and S. latissima. These results suggest that N. luetkeana and S. latissima could potentially outperform E. fistulosa under projected conditions. However, despite decreased performance among all species, our findings indicate that these species are largely resilient to temperature changes when exposed to a low salinity, even when the temperature changes are immediate and extreme. By exploring how early life-history stages of several key kelp species are impacted by dual stressors, this research enhances our understanding of how kelp forests will respond to projected and extreme changes in temperature when already stressed by low salinity.

• ALGAE
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.1-29
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• 2009

A synthesis of early exploration and the discovery of marine algae in the upper North Pacific and Bering Sea is presented covering the period from the late 1730s to around 1900. Information is provided about these early efforts to gather natural objects, including seaweeds, and names of these algae are enumerated. The first collections of marine algae in this broad region were those made by steller and Kracheninnkov from the Kamchatka Peninsula,Russia,during the Second Kamchatkan Expedition (1735-1742) and were described by Gmelin (1768). The first known algal collections in Alaska were those made byMerck in his 1790-1791 visits to Unalaska Island during the Billings expedition (1785-1794). British-sponsored expeditions for commercial purposes and for exploration and dis-covery allowed surgeon-naturallist Archibald Menzies to garher seaweeds that Dawson Turner and others worked up back in Europe. Several of the Russian Expeditions during the first half of the 18'!' century had naturalists aboard. the first Russian circumnavigation of the globe (1803-1806), with the ships 'Nadeshda' and 'Neva,' under the com-mand of Capt. Adam von Krusenstern had naturalists Langsdorff, Tilesius, and Horner, all of whom collected sea-weeds. The naturalist Adelbert Chanmisso accompanied the Romanzof Expedition (1815-1818) on the Russian vessel 'Rurik' under the command of Otto von Kotzebue and made collections of algae in the Aleutians as well as in the Kurils and Kamchatka. The Lutke expedition of 1826-1829 consisted of thw ships. Feodor Lutke was in command of the 'Seniavin' with K.H. Mertens aboard as physician-naturalist, and the 'Moller' was under the command of staniukovich accompanied by the naturalist G. Kastalsky. The first American-sponsored scientific expedition (1838-1842) was that commanded by Charles Wilkes, and the algae that were collected were worked up by J.W. Bailey and W.H. Harvey. The Russian naturalist Ilya Voznesenskii spent the period 1839-1849 in Russian Americ (Alaska and northern California) energetically traveling and making numerous collections of natural objects as well as ethno-graphic artefact. His algae were described by F.j. Ruprecht back in St. petersbung. The Swedish scientific vessel, the'Vega' (1878-1880), was under the command of Nordenskiold. The naturalist F.R. Kjellman made algal collections from Port Clarence, Alaska, as well as from bering Island and St. Lawrence Island in the Bering sea. The Harriman Alaskan Expedition in the summer of 1899, with the ship 'George W. Elder,' was sponsored by railroad magnate E.H. Harriman of New York City and had several scientific personnel aborad, including the phycologist De Alton Saunders. Algae were collected in Alaska and Washington. During the same summer of 1899 a scientific expedition organized by the University of California and including W.L. Jepson, L.E. Hunt, A.A Lawson, and W.A. Setchell as participants also visited Alaska and made collections of alage from various locations.