This thesis examines the contribution of a non-indigenous red alga, Mazzaella japonica, to wrack subsidies in Baynes Sound, British Columbia, and the effects of its removal by a commercial beach-cast harvest. Field and laboratory work was conducted to determine: 1) How large wrack inputs are in terms of biomass and spatial extent within the harvest region, and what proportion of this is comprised of M. japonica; 2) how wrack characteristics influence associated macrofauna communities; 3) if there is any detectable effect of beach-cast harvesting on either the wrack characteristics or macrofauna communities; and 4) if M. japonica provides a food source for native invertebrate consumers within the subtidal and supralittoral zones. Field surveys conducted from November 2014 through March 2015 found that wrack biomass within the harvest region could reach as much as 853 kg (±173 SD) per meter of shoreline, and cover up to 35 m2 (± 3 SD) of beach surface within this area. The macrophyte composition of the wrack was dominated by M. japonica, which accounted for 90% of the identifiable macrophyte biomass on average. Wrack in the later stages of decomposition hosted the most speciose and diverse assemblages of macrofauna, though community composition also differed among collection sites and with depth of the wrack. Though we were limited in our ability to disentangle the effects of beach-cast harvesting due to a concentration of effort at one site, we failed to detect any large influence on wrack biomass or macrofauna communities. Harvesting does, however, appear to be associated with a greater area of wrack cover and decreased mean depth. Stable isotope mixing models estimated that M. japonica contributed no more than 22% and 17% on average to the diets of supralittoral and subtidal consumers respectively, despite its overwhelming dominance in both environments. These results suggest that the non-indigenous red alga may experience a reprieve from herbivory within the subtidal environment. A lack of consumption within the supralittoral zone could influence nutrient cycling on recipient beaches and increase propagule pressure in the surrounding regions. Results from these studies are intended to help inform the management of M. japonica and its commercial harvesting. Combined, they indicate that this non-indigenous seaweed does not provide a substantial subsidy in the form of food provision for resident invertebrates. Furthermore, the commercial removal of M. japonica is small compared to the total biomass available, and had no detectable effect on the wrack-associated macrofauna communities examined. / Graduate / 2017-08-19 / jjulin.holden@gmail.com

Dissertação(mestrado) - Universidade Federal do Rio Grande, Programa de Pós–Graduação em Oceanografia Biológica, Instituto de Oceanografia, 2012. / Submitted by Cristiane Gomides (cristiane_gomides@hotmail.com) on 2013-10-11T12:19:06Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Leandro.pdf: 1098668 bytes, checksum: d672d3888ee8760a698a4ba11e3e1121 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Sabrina Andrade (sabrinabeatriz@ibest.com.br) on 2013-10-17T17:27:18Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 Leandro.pdf: 1098668 bytes, checksum: d672d3888ee8760a698a4ba11e3e1121 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2013-10-17T17:27:18Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Leandro.pdf: 1098668 bytes, checksum: d672d3888ee8760a698a4ba11e3e1121 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012 / Na costa brasileira, o peixe-boi marinho, Trichechus manatus, apresenta distribuição fragmentada e restrita a algumas regiões com características ecológicas distintas. É considerado um herbívoro generalista e oportunista, que consome uma ampla variedade de vegetação de rios, mares e estuários, porém, existem poucas informações sobre a ecologia da espécie no país. O objetivo do presente estudo foi o de estudar a ecologia trófica de T. manatus no Brasil por meio de análise de isótopos estáveis. Amostras de dentes (n=22) e ossos (n=21) de peixes-bois encalhados e amostras de vegetação foram coletadas na região nordeste do país para a análise de isótopos estáveis de carbono (δ13C) e nitrogênio (δ15N). Os animais foram agrupados em cinco regiões: Alagoas, Ceará, Maranhão, Paraíba (que também inclui animais do Rio Grande do Norte e Pernambuco) e Piauí. As plantas, obtidas destas mesmas regiões, foram categorizadas em quatro grupos: fanerógamas marinhas, macroalgas, mangues e de marismas. O modelo de mistura bayesiano para isótopos estáveis SIAR (Stable Isotopes Analysis in R) foi utilizado para estimar as proporções das fontes nas dietas dos grupos de peixesbois. Não foram verificadas diferenças nos valores de δ13C e δ15N entre dentes e ossos, classes de idade ou sexos. Foram verificadas, entretanto, diferenças nas composições isotópicas dos peixes-bois entre as regiões, principalmente com relação ao carbono: os peixes-bois do Ceará (-7,0 ±0,5‰) apresentaram as composições mais enriquecidas em 13C, enquanto os valores mais empobrecidos foram encontrados nos animais do Maranhão (-15,7 ±1,6‰). Valores intermediários foram observados nos indivíduos de Alagoas (-9,3 ±0,4‰), Piauí (-9,3 ±0,6‰) e Paraíba (-11,4 ±2,8‰). Com relação aos isótopos de nitrogênio, os animais da Paraíba (8,8 ±1,2‰) apresentaram composições mais enriquecidas em 15N do que os indivíduos das outras regiões. O modelo de mistura também mostrou diferenças espaciais na ecologia trófica dos peixes-bois. Os animais do Ceará consumiram predominantemente fanerógamas (97,3%), enquanto as fanerógamas (69,4%) e as macroalgas (64,4%) foram mais importantes para os indivíduos de Alagoas e Paraíba, respectivamente. Apesar dos manguezais predominarem no Maranhão, a vegetação de marisma foi a que apresentou a maior contribuição (68,7%) na dieta dos peixes-bois do região. Diferentemente das demais regiões, os indivíduos do Piauí apresentaram uma dieta mais diversificada, na qual os quatro grupos de macrófitas contribuíram em proporções similares (fanerógamas: 28,5%; marismas: 27,1%; macroalgas: 24,0%; mangues: 20,4%). Os resultados demonstram diferenças espaciais nas estratégias alimentares, bem como a importância dos diferentes grupos de macrófitas na dieta dos peixes-bois. O presente estudo é o primeiro a aplicar a análise de isótopos estáveis em peixes-bois marinhos na América do Sul, amplia o conhecimento sobre a ecologia trófica da espécie no país e fornece informações importantes para o estabelecimento de estratégias para a conservação de T. manatus e seu habitat no Brasil. / On the Brazilian coast, the manatee Trichechus manatus has a fragmented distribution, restricted to a few regions with different ecological characteristics. It is considered a generalist and opportunistic herbivore, consuming a wide range of vegetation from rivers, seas and estuaries, however, information about the ecology of the species in the country is scarce. The aim of this study was to study the trophic ecology of T. manatus in Brazil through stable isotopes. Samples of teeth (n=22) and bones (n=21) of stranded manatees and plants were collected in the northeastern region of the country for the analysis of stable isotopes of carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N). The animals were grouped in five regions: Alagoas, Ceara, Maranhão, Paraíba (that includes individuals from Pernambuco and Rio Grande do Norte) and Piauí. The plants, obtained from these same areas, were categorized in four main groups: macroalgae, mangroves, seagrasses and saltmarsh plants. The bayesian mixture model for stable isotopes SIAR (Stable Isotopes Analysis in R) was used to estimate the proportions of the sources in the diets of the groups of manatees. There were no differences in the values of δ13C and δ15N among teeth and bones, age classes or between sexes. There were, however, regional differences in isotopic compositions of manatees, especially for δ13C. Carbon stable isotope compositions ranged from depleted in 13C in Maranhão (- 15,7±1.6‰), to more enriched in Ceará (-7.0±0.5‰), whereas Alagoas (-9.3±0.4‰), Piauí (-9.3±0.6‰) and Paraíba (-11.4±2.8‰) presented intermediate values. Manatees from Paraíba had higher 15N values (8.8±1.2‰) than those from other regions. The mixture model also indicated regional variation on the manatees diet. Animals from Ceará feed almost exclusively on seagrasses (97.3%), while manatees from Alagoas and Paraíba graze mainly upon seagrasses (69.4%) and macroalgae (64.4%), respectively. Individuals from Maranhão were feeding mainly on saltmarsh plants (68.7%), despite mangrove dominate the area. Individuals from Piauí, on the other hand, had a more diversified diet, where seagrasses (28.5%), saltmarsh plants (27.1%), macroalgae (24.0%) and mangroves (20.4%) were assimilated in similar proportions. This study i the first to use stable isotopes do investigate the feeding ecology of manatees in South America. The spatial variation in the manatee’s diet demonstrates that proper conservation strategies for the species should include the maintenance of different macrophyte habitats along the northeastern Brazil.