The effects of the macroalga Gracilaria gracilis and increasing temperatures on the performance of the endemic Cape eelgrass Zostera capensis

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dc.contributor.advisorPillay, Deenaen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorBeltrand, Maeva Mereana Marionen_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2018-02-12T08:58:21Z
dc.date.available2018-02-12T08:58:21Z
dc.date.issued2017en_ZA
dc.description.abstractRising 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.en_ZA
dc.identifier.apacitationBeltrand, M. M. M. (2017). <i>The effects of the macroalga Gracilaria gracilis and increasing temperatures on the performance of the endemic Cape eelgrass Zostera capensis</i>. (Thesis). University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Oceanography. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/27537en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationBeltrand, Maeva Mereana Marion. <i>"The effects of the macroalga Gracilaria gracilis and increasing temperatures on the performance of the endemic Cape eelgrass Zostera capensis."</i> Thesis., University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Oceanography, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/27537en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationBeltrand, M. 2017. The effects of the macroalga Gracilaria gracilis and increasing temperatures on the performance of the endemic Cape eelgrass Zostera capensis. University of Cape Town.en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Thesis / Dissertation AU - Beltrand, Maeva Mereana Marion AB - 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. DA - 2017 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2017 T1 - The effects of the macroalga Gracilaria gracilis and increasing temperatures on the performance of the endemic Cape eelgrass Zostera capensis TI - The effects of the macroalga Gracilaria gracilis and increasing temperatures on the performance of the endemic Cape eelgrass Zostera capensis UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/27537 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/27537
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationBeltrand MMM. The effects of the macroalga Gracilaria gracilis and increasing temperatures on the performance of the endemic Cape eelgrass Zostera capensis. [Thesis]. University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Oceanography, 2017 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/27537en_ZA
dc.language.isoengen_ZA
dc.publisher.departmentDepartment of Oceanographyen_ZA
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Scienceen_ZA
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.subject.otherApplied Marine Scienceen_ZA
dc.subject.otherGlobal Warmingen_ZA
dc.subject.otherZostera capensisen_ZA
dc.subject.otherGracilaria gracilisen_ZA
dc.subject.otherecosystem engineersen_ZA
dc.subject.otherbiotic interactionsen_ZA
dc.subject.otherecosystem functioningen_ZA
dc.titleThe effects of the macroalga Gracilaria gracilis and increasing temperatures on the performance of the endemic Cape eelgrass Zostera capensisen_ZA
dc.typeMaster Thesis
dc.type.qualificationlevelMasters
dc.type.qualificationnameMScen_ZA
uct.type.filetypeText
uct.type.filetypeImage
uct.type.publicationResearchen_ZA
uct.type.resourceThesisen_ZA
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