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SeagrassSoundings focuses on the work that scientists and managers are doing to protect, preserve, study, restore and monitor seagrass in Massachusetts and throughout New England.


Friday, May 25, 2012

Drifting mats of red algae

Yesterday MarineFisheries biologists were diving in Salem Sound near Pride's Beach in Beverly when we encountered large mats of the reddish brown algae that I think is Heterosiphonia japonica.  http://www.seaweed.ie/descriptions/Heterosiphonia_japonica.html.  This is the first we have seen it here to this extent.  In April at a site nearby we noted small amounts of it driftying through the grass bed, although it was piling up on the beach.  So yesterday we were surprised to see such an accumulation  (see pictures below).  The change from April to May may be due to the progression of the season and more algae growth, or it could simply have been a different current and wind direction blowing the algae into the bed that day, or a combination of the two.  Whatever the reason, this could definitely have a significant impact on the bed by blanketing shoots and shading them.  It will be interesting to see if the algae is there when we return to the site in the next few weeks.  We also have three transects that we monitor for SeagrassNet in this area and our next monitoring event is in July.  This highlights the reason why we need long term monitoring like SeagrassNet sites.  If there is an impact on the eelgrass bed we will hopefully be able to document it early.






3 comments:

  1. Hi Tay,
    Just stumbled upon this in a Google search. Are you aware that Northeastern Univ (the Bracken Lab in Nahant) is doing a study on H. japonica. See http://nuweb9.neu.edu/biodiversity/?page_id=8 and scroll down to Christine Newton.

    They are pretty sure that it's at West Beach in Beverly and we suspect that it's in Manchester in several areas. I've heard (2nd hand) that it's invading areas of eel grass. I gave Chris Newton your contact info.
    -Mary Reilly reillym@manchester.ma.us

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  2. Thanks, Mary! I did just recently hear of this study and am looking forward to learning more.

    Tay

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    Replies
    1. Hi Tay,
      We will be doing SeagrassNet sampling on the Seashore next week and will be on the lookout for masses of H. japonica. I saw the article in the Globe... it's causing major problems, huh? Does it attached to the sediment or blades? Or does it just drift around?

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