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Ecophysiological measurements from thermal tolerance testing of giant kelp (NESP MaC 1.28)

This record described kelp growth and ecophysiological data relevant to the thermal tolerance of specific warm-tolerant and 'normal' family-lines of giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera) from Tasmania, Australia.

For habitat restoration to be effective, the cause of habitat decline must be understood and overcome. But this is problematic when climate change is driving habitat loss, since it cannot be reversed or ameliorated prior to restoration.

A previous NESP project, led by this team, identified warmwater-tolerant strains of giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera) from remnant patches in eastern Tasmania, where the species has experienced severe declines over the past half-century due to climate change and ocean-warming. While these strains have high potential to assist with ‘future-proofing’ of kelp forest restoration activities, it is still unclear what the physiological mechanisms are that provide their improved thermal tolerance.

Here we cultivated the warm-tolerant giant kelp strains, along with giant kelp strains of normal tolerance, at both cool (16 °C) and warm temperatures (20 °C). We then harvested the juvenile kelp, and examined a suite of physiological traits that may be responsible for their differences in thermal tolerance, including nutrient usage (carbon and nitrogen content), cellular membrane processes (fatty acid contents), and photosynthesis (PAM fluorometry and photosynthetic pigments).

The cultivation trials again illustrated the improved ability of the warm-tolerant strains to develop at stressful warm temperatures relative to normal giant kelp. For the first time, we also demonstrate that their improved thermal performance may extend to the development and fertilisation of the earlier kelp ‘gametophyte’ life-stage. Despite the clear differences in growth between the two test groups, the physiological assessments illustrated a complex pattern of responses, some of which are contrary to expected based on prior knowledge of thermal performance in kelps. Nonetheless, our results indicate that the warm-tolerant strains of giant kelp have a greater capacity to alter the composition of their fatty acids and may be more efficient users of nitrogen (a key nutrient for growth and development).

This new information will help inform ongoing kelp breeding and selection programs for future-proofing kelp restoration in Australia and globally. This improved understanding of the physiology of kelp thermal tolerance might also help with identifying individuals and populations of Macrocystis, and other kelps, that may be resilient to (or especially threatened by) ocean warming and climate change.

Simple

Identification info

Date (Creation)
2022-10-24
Citation identifier
doi:10.25959/61A2-A148

Title
Information and documentation - Digital object identifier system
Date (Publication)
2022-11-28
Citation identifier
ISO 26324:2012

Citation identifier
https://doi.org/10.25959/61A2-A148

Principal investigator

Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS), University of Tasmania (UTAS) - Layton, Cayne
IMAS - Hobart
Private Bag 129
Hobart
Tasmania
7001
Australia
ORCID ID >

Collaborator

Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS), University of Tasmania (UTAS) - Smid, Eva
IMAS - Hobart
Private Bag 129
Hobart
Tasmania
7001
Australia

Collaborator

Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS), University of Tasmania (UTAS) - Johnson, Craig
IMAS - Hobart
Private Bag 129
Hobart
Tasmania
7001
Australia
ORCID ID >

Status
complete

Principal investigator

Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS), University of Tasmania (UTAS) - Layton, Cayne
IMAS - Hobart
Private Bag 129
Hobart
Tasmania
7001
Australia
ORCID ID >

Topic category
  • Biota
N
S
E
W


Temporal extent

Time period
2021-07-31 2022-07-31
Maintenance and update frequency
none-planned

Resource format

Date
Keywords (Theme)
  • ecophysiology
  • future-proof
Keywords (Taxon)
  • Macrocystis pyrifera
  • giant kelp
NASA/GCMD Keywords, Version 8.5
  • EARTH SCIENCE | BIOSPHERE | ECOSYSTEMS | MARINE ECOSYSTEMS | COASTAL | KELP FOREST
  • EARTH SCIENCE | HUMAN DIMENSIONS | HABITAT CONVERSION/FRAGMENTATION | RECLAMATION/REVEGETATION/RESTORATION
  • EARTH SCIENCE | BIOSPHERE | ECOSYSTEMS | MARINE ECOSYSTEMS
  • EARTH SCIENCE | BIOSPHERE | ECOLOGICAL DYNAMICS | SPECIES/POPULATION INTERACTIONS | ENDANGERED SPECIES
  • EARTH SCIENCE | BIOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION | PLANTS | MACROALGAE (SEAWEEDS)

Resource constraints

Other constraints
This dataset is hosted by the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS), University of Tasmania, on behalf of NESP Marine and Coastal Hub Project 1.28.

Resource constraints

Classification
Unclassified

Resource constraints

Use limitation
Data was sourced from the NESP Marine and Coastal Hub – the Marine and Coastal Hub is supported through funding from the Australian Government’s National Environmental Science Program (NESP), administered by the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment (DAWE).

Resource constraints

Linkage
http://i.creativecommons.org/l/by/4.0/88x31.png

License Graphic

Title
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License


>

Website
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

License Text

Other constraints
Cite data as: Layton, C., Eva, S., & Johnson, C. (2022). NESP MaC Project 1.28 - Future-proofing restoration & thermal physiology of kelp [Data set]. Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS), University of Tasmania (UTAS). https://doi.org/10.25959/61A2-A148
Language
English
Character encoding
UTF8
Supplemental Information
Layton C, Smid E, Johnson CR (2022) A physiological assessment of giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera) strains that exhibit warm tolerance. Report to the National Environmental Science Program. University of Tasmania. Layton C & Johnson CR (2021). Assessing the feasibility of restoring giant kelp forests in Tasmania. Report to the National Environmental Science Program, Marine Biodiversity Hub. Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania.

Distribution Information

Distribution format
  • excel

OnLine resource
DATA ACCESS - kelp ecophysiology measurements [.xlsx direct download]

Resource lineage

Statement
Building on a prior successful NESP Marine Biodiversity Hub Project E7 and leveraging pre-existing kelp cultures (Layton & Johnson 2021), this project explored potential mechanism(s) underpinning the thermal tolerance of previously identified warm-tolerant giant kelp strains, including their nutrient usage (carbon and nitrogen content), cellular membrane processes (fatty acid contents), and photosynthesis (PAM fluorometry and photosynthetic pigments).
Hierarchy level
Dataset

mdb:MD_Metadata

Metadata identifier
18979422-134c-4a18-a2f1-2c4cde0ed0f8

Language
English
Character encoding
UTF8

Point of contact

Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS), University of Tasmania (UTAS) - Emma Flukes (NESP Marine and Coastal Hub Data Manager (Southern node))
Parent metadata
  • NESP MaC Project 1.28 - Future-proofing restoration & thermal physiology of kelp

Type of resource

Resource scope
Dataset
Metadata linkage
https://metadata.imas.utas.edu.au/geonetwork/srv/eng/catalog.search#/metadata/18979422-134c-4a18-a2f1-2c4cde0ed0f8

Point of truth URL of this metadata record

Date info (Creation)
2015-05-06T11:44:25
Date info (Revision)
2015-05-06T11:44:25

Metadata standard

Title
ISO 19115-3:2018
 
 

Overviews

Spatial extent

N
S
E
W


Keywords

ecophysiology future-proof
NASA/GCMD Keywords, Version 8.5
EARTH SCIENCE | BIOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION | PLANTS | MACROALGAE (SEAWEEDS) EARTH SCIENCE | BIOSPHERE | ECOLOGICAL DYNAMICS | SPECIES/POPULATION INTERACTIONS | ENDANGERED SPECIES EARTH SCIENCE | BIOSPHERE | ECOSYSTEMS | MARINE ECOSYSTEMS EARTH SCIENCE | BIOSPHERE | ECOSYSTEMS | MARINE ECOSYSTEMS | COASTAL | KELP FOREST EARTH SCIENCE | HUMAN DIMENSIONS | HABITAT CONVERSION/FRAGMENTATION | RECLAMATION/REVEGETATION/RESTORATION

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Access to the portal
Read here the full details and access to the data.

Associated resources

Not available


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