INVESTIGADORES
GAUNA Maria Cecilia
artículos
Título:
Epiphytic relationships of Pseudendoclonium submarinum Wille (Ulvophyceae) and Rhodymenia pseudopalmata (Rhodophyta) from the Patagonian coast of Argentina
Autor/es:
GAUNA M. C.; PARODI, E. R.; CACERES, E. J.
Revista:
PHYCOLOGICAL RESEARCH (PRINT)
Editorial:
Wiley-Blackwell
Referencias:
Lugar: Tokio; Año: 2009 vol. 57 p. 313 - 322
ISSN:
1322-0829
Resumen:
The occurrence of the epiphyte alga Pseudendoclonium submarinum Wille (Ulvophyceae) on Rhodymenia pseudopalmata (Lamouroux) Silva (Rhodophyta) is reported. The present study describes a first line of evidence of an epidemiological study conducted with the purpose of comparing both the prevalence and affects of algal epiphytic organisms in R. pseudopalmata in the Patagonian coasts of Argentina. P. submarinum infected approximately 80% of R. pseudopalmata thalli and the frecuency of infection was variable in connection with different areas of the host's thalli: 42% of R. pseudopalmata fronds presented P. submarinum thalli in the basal region, which presented a severity degree of infection from low to high. The median region presented an averge frecuency of infection of 30% and minor susceptibility to colonization. The covering varied from 1% to 70% representing a low to moderate degree of colonization. The apical region presented a cover frecuency of 28% and the level of infection varied between low to moderate. the developmental morphology and the growth dynamics of the epiphyte were also investigated under unialgal as well bialgal culture conditions. In nature, thalli of P. submarinum on R. pseudopalmata never invaded internal tisuues of the host. Vegetative thalli of P. submarinum were inoculated on fronds R. pseudopalmata. Experimental infections confirmed that P. submarinum thalli did not penetrate the host's fronds. P. submarinum swarmers showed the capacity of settlement on a host's fronds and developed an epiphytic monostromatic thallus. The results allowed us to suggest that P. submarinum uses the R. pseudopalmata thalli as a proper substrate, since Pseudendoclonium thalli complete the entire life cycle. Culture experiments revealed that P. submarinum could develop without the presence of the host and evidenced the nutritional independence, being the relationship in nature, probably triggered by an ecological advantage since fronds of R. pseudopalmata offer a suitable substratum.