Coralline algae (Rhodophyta, Corallinales) early colonizers of the littoral lava flows of the recent volcanic eruption of La Palma (Canary Islands)
- Viviana Peña
- Julio Afonso-Carrillo 1
- Daniel Álvarez-Canali 1
- Sabin Liulea 1
- Nereida M. Rancel Rodríguez 1
- Javier Reyes 1
- Marta Sansón 1
- Carlos Sangil 1
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1
Universidad de La Laguna
info
Publisher: Federation of European Phycological Societies,
Year of publication: 2024
Pages: S136-S137
Congress: Scientific Opportunities for a Global Algal Revolution: Program and Book of Abstracts : 8th European Phycological Congress - EPC8 : August 20th to 26th 2023 - Brest, Brittany, France
Type: Conference Poster
Abstract
The eruption of the Tajogaite volcano (La Palma, Canary Islands) occurred between September 19 andDecember 13, 2021. The lava flowed into the sea on the western shore of La Palma and a new rockyshore was formed. Once the eruption ended and the safety protocols allowed it (February 2022), severalbimonthly samplings were carried out in the intertidal and shallow subtidal in order to evaluate thecontribution of coralline algae in the early stages of colonization of these new substrates. Theidentification was carried out by morpho-anatomical and molecular studies. Just two months after theend of the eruption, coralline algae had already settled on the surface of volcanic rocks initially colonizedby bacteria and diatoms. The first multicellular colonizers were annual ephemeral minute and thinspecies of the genus Hydrolithon. Hydrolithon crusts bearing a large number of minute triangularvegetative propagules were very common, suggesting that vegetative reproduction by specializedpropagules may play a relevant role in these early stages. These Hydrolithon were later covered andreplaced by other slightly thicker non-fertile crusts. Both small confluent crusts of Porolithon and cruststhat ended up forming Corallina-type erect geniculate branches became the coralline algae dominant.Trichocytes, isolated or in dense groups, were very obvious in all coralline algae that took part in theseearly stages of colonization of the new volcanic substrates.