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(Reference retrieved automatically from Web of Science through information on FAPESP grant and its corresponding number as mentioned in the publication by the authors.)

The relationship between macroalgal morphological complexity and hydraulic conditions in stream habitats

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Author(s):
Tonetto, Aurelio Fajar [1] ; Cardoso-Leite, Ricardo [2] ; Novaes, Marcos Carneiro [2] ; Guillermo-Ferreira, Rhainer [3]
Total Authors: 4
Affiliation:
[1] Sao Paulo State Univ, Lab Aquat Sci, Sao Paulo - Brazil
[2] Univ Sao Paulo, Dept Biol, Sch Philosophy Sci & Letters Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo - Brazil
[3] Fed Univ Grand Dourados, Dept Biol & Environm Sci, Dourados, MS - Brazil
Total Affiliations: 3
Document type: Journal article
Source: Hydrobiologia; v. 747, n. 1, p. 33-41, MAR 2015.
Web of Science Citations: 9
Abstract

The effects of habitat complexity have been considered important factors for the evolution of morphological complexity in organisms. We assessed the possible relationship between hydraulic niche conditions and the morphological complexity of algal filaments by sampling four species of macroalgae inhabiting different hydraulic niches in two freshwater streams. These algal species exhibit different fractal dimensions, which were measured by applying a grid method. The results showed that morphological differences are a function of hydraulic niche for stream macroalgae. Algae with complex shape (Nitella wrightii and Batrachosperum puiggarianum) were established in slower flows, while algae with simpler filament shape (Vaucheria sp. and Oedogonium sp.) were more likely to occur in faster water currents. The sites where the species occurred are a reflection of their ability to hold position, which is ultimately driven by their morphology. The influence of flow in stream habitats is an important factor for lotic macroalgae settlement and its effects can be related to evolutionary adjustment of body shape in these environments. We suggest that the morphological structure (here as fractal dimension) of freshwater macroalgae can be considered an adaptation to the costs and benefits exhibited by different hydraulic niches. (AU)

FAPESP's process: 13/00406-7 - Evolution of the interaction between morphological and behavioral characters in Odonata of the neotropical region
Grantee:Rhainer Guillermo Nascimento Ferreira
Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
FAPESP's process: 10/17563-0 - Ecological interactions between periphytic and macroalgal communities in lotic ecossystems
Grantee:Aurélio Fajar Tonetto
Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate