1. First freshwater coralline alga and the role of local features in a major biome transition
- Author
-
Ivan Cvitković, O. De Clerck, F Vita, Marija Despalatović, Viviana Peña, Boris Antolić, Juan C. Braga, Ante Žuljević, Sara Kaleb, Line Le Gall, Annalisa Falace, Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries, Department of Life Science [Trieste], BIOCOST Research Group, Phycology Research Group and Center for Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, Universiteit Gent = Ghent University [Belgium] (UGENT), Institut de Systématique, Evolution, Biodiversité (ISYEB ), Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle (MNHN)-École pratique des hautes études (EPHE), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Pierre et Marie Curie - Paris 6 (UPMC)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Departamento de Estratigrafía y Paleontología, Universidad de Granada, Universidad de Granada (UGR), Universiteit Gent = Ghent University (UGENT), Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle (MNHN)-Université Pierre et Marie Curie - Paris 6 (UPMC)-École Pratique des Hautes Études (EPHE), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Universidad de Granada = University of Granada (UGR), Žuljević, A., Kaleb, Sara, Peña, V., Despalatović, M., Cvitković, I., De Clerck, O., Le Gall, L., Falace, Annalisa, Vita, Francesca, Braga J., C, and Antolić, B.
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,0301 basic medicine ,RIVERS ,RED ALGAE ,Speciation ,Biome ,DIVERSITY ,Fresh Water ,Climate change ,Freshwater ecology ,Plant ecology ,Plant genetics ,01 natural sciences ,CARBONATE PRODUCTION ,Phylogeny ,media_common ,Spores, Bacterial ,Multidisciplinary ,biology ,Ecology ,freshwater ecology ,OCEAN ACIDIFICATION ,Corallinales ,Coralline algae ,Ocean acidification ,6. Clean water ,climate change ,[SDV.MP]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Microbiology and Parasitology ,coralline algae ,EUROPE ,Pneophyllum ,media_common.quotation_subject ,freshwater coralline alga ,Red algae ,CETINA ,RHODOPHYTA ,Article ,03 medical and health sciences ,Botany ,Ecosystem ,biome transition ,14. Life underwater ,GLOBAL CHANGE ,CROATIA ,plant ecology ,Speciation, coralline algae, biome transition, freshwater coralline alga, climate change, freshwater ecology, plant ecology, plant genetics ,Brackish water ,010604 marine biology & hydrobiology ,Biology and Life Sciences ,plant genetics ,biology.organism_classification ,030104 developmental biology ,Genes, Bacterial ,Rhodophyta ,Biological dispersal - Abstract
Coralline red algae are significant components of sea bottom and up to now considered as exclusively marine species. Here we present the first coralline alga from a freshwater environment, found in the Cetina River (Adriatic Sea watershed). The alga is fully adapted to freshwater, as attested by reproductive structures, sporelings and an inability to survive brackish conditions. Morphological and molecular phylogenetic analyses reveal the species belongs to Pneophyllum and is described as P. cetinaensis sp. nov. The marine-freshwater transition most probably occurred during the last glaciation. The brackish-water ancestor was preadapted to osmotic stress and rapid changes in water salinity and temperature. The particular characteristics of the karst Cetina River, such as hard water enriched with dissolved calcium carbonate and a pH similar to the marine environment, favoured colonization of the river by a marine species. The upstream advance and dispersal is facilitated by exceptionally pronounced zoochory by freshwater gastropods. Pneophyllum cetinaensis defies the paradigm of Corallinales as an exclusively marine group.
- Published
- 2016
- Full Text
- View/download PDF