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The effects of the macroalga Gracilaria gracilis and increasing temperatures on the performance of the endemic Cape eelgrass Zostera capensis
Rising temperature caused by global warming alters physiology, phenology and/or distribution in a wide array of plant and animal species, which has dramatic knock-on effects at different levels of organisation. This study investigates the individual and interactive effects of temperature (18ᵒC, 22ᵒC...
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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Department of Oceanography
2018
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| _version_ | 1867613183530762240 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Beltrand, Maeva Mereana Marion |
| author2 | Pillay, Deena |
| author_browse | Beltrand, Maeva Mereana Marion Pillay, Deena |
| author_facet | Pillay, Deena Beltrand, Maeva Mereana Marion |
| author_sort | Beltrand, Maeva Mereana Marion |
| collection | Thesis |
| description | Rising temperature caused by global warming alters physiology, phenology and/or distribution in a wide array of plant and animal species, which has dramatic knock-on effects at different levels of organisation. This study investigates the individual and interactive effects of temperature (18ᵒC, 22ᵒC and 30ᵒC) and additions of the macroalga Gracilaria gracilis (high and low) on the performance of the seagrass Zostera capensis, which occurs in Langebaan Lagoon, South Africa over a seven-week period. Results from the laboratory experiment revealed that G. gracilis did not significantly affect the performance of Z. capensis although temperature did result in greater leaf width, fouling and senescent biomass, as well as marginally greater leaf area and lower below-ground biomass at 30ᵒC. Increasing temperature also increased G. gracilis biomass, percent cover and fouling by microalgae. In addition, there was no interaction between temperature and the additions of Gracilaria. The overall findings of this study indicate that Z. capensis abundance is likely to decrease while G. gracilis will conversely increase in abundance in response to warming. Changes in abundance of those two ecosystem engineers highlight the possibility of a phase shift from a seagrass- to macroalgal-dominated state in Langebaan Lagoon. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/27537 |
| institution | University of Cape Town (South Africa) |
| language | eng |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:32:06.010Z |
| license_str | Not specified — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository |
| publishDate | 2018 |
| publishDateRange | 2018 |
| publishDateSort | 2018 |
| publisher | Department of Oceanography |
| publisherStr | Department of Oceanography |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository |
| spelling | oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/27537 The effects of the macroalga Gracilaria gracilis and increasing temperatures on the performance of the endemic Cape eelgrass Zostera capensis Beltrand, Maeva Mereana Marion Pillay, Deena Applied Marine Science Global Warming Zostera capensis Gracilaria gracilis ecosystem engineers biotic interactions ecosystem functioning Rising temperature caused by global warming alters physiology, phenology and/or distribution in a wide array of plant and animal species, which has dramatic knock-on effects at different levels of organisation. This study investigates the individual and interactive effects of temperature (18ᵒC, 22ᵒC and 30ᵒC) and additions of the macroalga Gracilaria gracilis (high and low) on the performance of the seagrass Zostera capensis, which occurs in Langebaan Lagoon, South Africa over a seven-week period. Results from the laboratory experiment revealed that G. gracilis did not significantly affect the performance of Z. capensis although temperature did result in greater leaf width, fouling and senescent biomass, as well as marginally greater leaf area and lower below-ground biomass at 30ᵒC. Increasing temperature also increased G. gracilis biomass, percent cover and fouling by microalgae. In addition, there was no interaction between temperature and the additions of Gracilaria. The overall findings of this study indicate that Z. capensis abundance is likely to decrease while G. gracilis will conversely increase in abundance in response to warming. Changes in abundance of those two ecosystem engineers highlight the possibility of a phase shift from a seagrass- to macroalgal-dominated state in Langebaan Lagoon. 2018-02-12T08:58:21Z 2018-02-12T08:58:21Z 2017 Master Thesis Masters MSc http://hdl.handle.net/11427/27537 eng application/pdf Department of Oceanography Faculty of Science University of Cape Town |
| spellingShingle | Applied Marine Science Global Warming Zostera capensis Gracilaria gracilis ecosystem engineers biotic interactions ecosystem functioning Beltrand, Maeva Mereana Marion The effects of the macroalga Gracilaria gracilis and increasing temperatures on the performance of the endemic Cape eelgrass Zostera capensis |
| thesis_degree_str | Master's |
| title | The effects of the macroalga Gracilaria gracilis and increasing temperatures on the performance of the endemic Cape eelgrass Zostera capensis |
| title_full | The effects of the macroalga Gracilaria gracilis and increasing temperatures on the performance of the endemic Cape eelgrass Zostera capensis |
| title_fullStr | The effects of the macroalga Gracilaria gracilis and increasing temperatures on the performance of the endemic Cape eelgrass Zostera capensis |
| title_full_unstemmed | The effects of the macroalga Gracilaria gracilis and increasing temperatures on the performance of the endemic Cape eelgrass Zostera capensis |
| title_short | The effects of the macroalga Gracilaria gracilis and increasing temperatures on the performance of the endemic Cape eelgrass Zostera capensis |
| title_sort | effects of the macroalga gracilaria gracilis and increasing temperatures on the performance of the endemic cape eelgrass zostera capensis |
| topic | Applied Marine Science Global Warming Zostera capensis Gracilaria gracilis ecosystem engineers biotic interactions ecosystem functioning |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/11427/27537 |
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