Star Island Intertidal Seaweeds

Bladder Wrack

Fucus vesiculosus, known by the common name bladder wrack or bladderwrack, is a seaweed found on the coasts of the North Sea, the western Baltic Sea, and the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, also known by the common names black tang, rockweed, bladder fucus, sea oak, black tany, cut weed, dyers fucus, red fucus, ...more ↓

Spiral Wrack

Fucus spiralis is a species of seaweed, a brown alga (Heterokontophyta, Phaeophyceae), living on the littoral shore of the Atlantic coasts of Europe and North America. It has the common names of spiral wrack and flat wrack.

Rockweed

Fucus distichus or rockweed is a species of brown alga in the family Fucaceae to be found in the intertidal zones of rocky seashores in the Northern Hemisphere, mostly in rock pools.

Sea Belt

Saccharina latissima is a brown algae (class Phaeophyceae), of the family

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Saccharina latissima is a brown algae (class Phaeophyceae), of the family Laminariaceae. It is also known by the common name sea belt. It is found in the north east Atlantic Ocean and the Barents Sea south to Galicia in Spain. It is not found in the Bay of Biscay but is common round the coasts of the British Isles.^[2] The species is found at sheltered rocky seabeds.^[3]

Saccharina latissima on a beach.

Saccharina lattissima from Avacha Bay

Description[edit source | edit]

S. latissima is a yellowish brown colour with a long narrow, undivided blade that can grow to 5 metres (16 ft) long and 20 centimetres (7.9 in) wide. The central band is dimpled while the margins are smoother with a wavy edge. The frond is secured to the rock in the intertidal and sublittoral zones by a claw-like holdfast and a short, pliable, cylindrical stipe.^[2]

Ecology[edit source | edit]

S. latissima is an ecologically important system. It is a primary producer, delivering plant material to the coastal food web. The three-dimensional forests also serve as a habitat for animals, resulting in a high biodiversity. Fish, shellfish and other animals get food and hiding places witin these forests.^[4]

Threats[edit source | edit]

In 2004, scientists reported a loss in sugar kelp at 80% of the locations in the Skagerrak and 40% of the locations at the West coast of Norway.^[5]^[6]^[7] The reasons for this loss are not fully understood, but the increase in ocean temperature, high levels of nutrients and the reduction in animal species feeding off the filamentous algae are suggested as the most likely reasons.^[8]

References[edit source | edit]

^ Lane, C.E.; C. Mayes; L.D. Druehl; & G.W. Saunders (2006). "A multi-gene molecular investigation of the kelp (Laminariales, Phaeophyceae) supports substantial taxonomic re-organization". Journal of Phycology 42: 493–512. doi:10.1111/j.1529-8817.2006.00204.x.

^ ^a ^b Saccharina latissima (Linnaeus) J.V. Lamouroux The Seaweed Site. Retrieved 2011-09-20.

^ Bekkby, T., Moy, F. 2011. Developing spatial models of sugar kelp (Saccharina latissima) potential distribution modelling of the kelp species Laminaria hyperborea. ICES Journal of Marine Science 66: 2106–2115.

^ Christie H, Norderhaug KM, Fredriksen S. 2009. Macrophytes as habitat for fauna. Marine Ecology Progress Series 396: 221-233

^ Rinde E, Christie H. 1992. A survey of rocky bottom communities in the coastal area of Telemark. NINA Oppdragsmelding 133: 1-23.

^ Moy, F., Christie, H. 2012. Large-scale shift from sugar kelp (Saccharina latissima) to ephemeral algae along the south and west coast of Norway. Marine Biology Research 8: 309-321

^ Bekkby, T., Moy, F. 2011. Developing spatial models of sugar kelp (Saccharina latissima) potential distribution modelling of the kelp species Laminaria hyperborea. ICES Journal of Marine Science 66: 2106–2115

^ Moy, F., Stålnacke, P., 2007. Sugar Kelp Project: Analyses of Climate and Environmental Data with Relevance for Sugar Kelp, SFT Report TA-2279/2007, NIVA Report 5454, 210 pp.

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Oarweed

Oarweed looks like long broad glossy ribbons. It can grow up to 2 meters in length and down to depths of 20 meters as long as the water is relatively clear and the bottom is rocky. The fronds split into finger-like extensions. This brown seaweed is leathery and flexible. Oarweed has clinging-roots with which it attaches itself under water to stones. It makes a good place for many marine ...more ↓

Sea Potato or Rat's Brain

Leathesia difformis, the sea potato, is a species of littoral brown algae in the class Phaeophyceae and the order Ectocarpales which is commonly attached to other seaweeds and sometimes rocks. When young, the organism is solid but as it matures it become hollow and somewhat convoluted and has the appearance of a small leathery brown bag about the same size as a tennis ...more ↓

酸藻

Desmarestia viridis is a species of brown algae found worldwide. Its common names include stringy acid kelp, green acid kelp, sea sorrel and Desmarest's green weed. The light brown thallus is delicate with a disc-shaped holdfast. It releases sulfuric acid when damaged, destroying itself and nearby seaweeds in the process. They are found in shallow ...more ↓

Cord Weed

Depth range based on 5 specimens in 1 taxon.
Water temperature and chemistry ranges based on 2 samples.

Environmental ranges
  Depth range (m): 0 - 3
  Temperature range (°C): 3.246 - 3.246
  Nitrate (umol/L): 3.246 - 3.246
  Salinity (PPS): 34.607 - 34.607
  Oxygen (ml/l): 7.489 - 7.489
  Phosphate (umol/l): 0.380 - 0.380
  Silicate (umol/l): 3.088 - ...more ↓

Scytosiphon lomentaria

Scytosiphon lomentaria is a littoral brown seaweed with an irregularly lobed many filamentous form. It is a member of the Phaeophyta in the order Dictyosiphonales and grows attached to shells and stones in rock-pools and in near-shore waters. The attachment to the substrate is by a small disc shaped holdfast.

maiden's hair

Known from seamounts and knolls

Star Island Intertidal Seaweeds

Contents

Description[edit source | edit]

Ecology[edit source | edit]

Threats[edit source | edit]

References[edit source | edit]