Rhodophyta de Água Doce do Estado de São Paulo: Levantamento Taxonômico

O trabalho é o levantamento taxonômico pioneiro das Rhodophyta de água doce do Estado de São Paulo. Foram identificados 22 táxons específicos e infra-específicos: Batrachospermum atrum (Hudson) Harvey var. atrum, B. atrun (Hudson) Harvey var. puiggarianum (Grunow) Necchi, B. bicudoi Necchi, B. boryanum Sirodot, B. capense Starrnach ex Necchi e Kumano var. breviarticulatum Necchi e Kumano, B. cipoense Kumano e Necchi, B. exsertum Necchi, B. flageliforme (Sirodot) Necchi, B. gracillimum West e West emend. Necchi, B. helminthosum Bory, B.jolyi Necchi, B. keratophytum Bory, B. macrosporum Montagne var. macrosporum, B. macrosporum Montagne var. excelsum (Montagne) Sirodot, B. orthostichum Skuja, B.procarpum Skuja, B. skujanum Necchi, B. vagum (Roth) C. Agardh, B. virgatum (Kutzing) Sirodot, Compsopogon coeruleus (Balbis) Montagne, Sirodotia delicatula Skuja e Thorea bachmannii Pujals ex Pujals. Dentre estes, dez foram citados pela primeira vez para o Brasil (B. boryanum, B. flageliforme, B. gracillimum, B. helminthosum, B. keratophytum, B. macrosporum var. excelsum, B. virgatum, C. coeruleus , S. delicatula e T. bachamanii e 16 para o Estado de São Paulo (B. capense var. breviarticulatum, B. cipoense, B. macrosporum, B. orthostichum, B. procarpum e B. bagum, em adição aos citados pela primeira vez para o Brasil. Para cada táxon identificado foram apresentados: descrição detalhada, distribuição geográfica no Brasil, habitat, comentários e ilustrações. Todos os táxons foram identificados, sempre que possível, a partir de amostras populacionais. Ilustrações, incluindo-se um mapa com os locais de coleta, e sete chaves artificiais para identificação dos gêneros e táxons infra-genéricos estudados complementam o trabalho. Foi verificada menor ocorrência de Rhodophyta de água doce na região oeste do Estado de São Paulo e maior na região leste. Este estudo demonstrou a inconsistência da taxonomia, a nível infragenérico, de Compsopogon e reforçou a suposição de que várias das espécies descritas na literatura sejam, provavelmente, ecofenos de uma mesma espécie. Os espécimes estudados foram incluídos em C. coeruleus. Em Sirodotia, os espécimes estudados foram todos referidos como S. delicatula. O estudo indicou neste caso a necessidade de uma revisão mundial das espécies e a fragilidade da taxonomia a nível específico desse gênero. O gênero Batrachospermum apresentou problemas taxonômicos, especialmente para a Seção Virídia, com relação à circunscrição de espécies e à definição de critérios taxonômicos para o nível específico

Studies on the freshwater Rodophyta of Brazil - 6: Occurrence of Hildenbrandia rivularis (Liebmann) J. Agardh in the States of Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo.

Hildenbrandia rivularis was studied on the basis of specimens collected from the States of Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, southern Brazil. A detailed description, illustrations and comments on the species were presented for the first time for Brazil, with special reference to reproduction by gemmae. The only previous report of the occurrence of the species in Brazil was confirmed.Hildenbrandia rivularis foi estudada a partir de material coletado nos Estados do Rio de Janeiro e São Paulo. Foram apresentados, pela primeira vez para o Brasil, descrição detalhada, ilustrações e comentários da espécie, com referência especial à reprodução por gemas. Foi confirmada a única citação anterior de ocorrência da espécie no Brasil

Photosynthetic characteristics of the freshwater red alga Batrachospermum delicatulum (Skuja) Necchi & Entwisle

Seis populações da alga vermelha Batrachospermum delicatulum (Skuja) Necchi & Entwisle, incluindo gametófito e estágio 'Chantransia', foram analisadas em condições de campo e cultura aplicando as técnicas de fluorescência da clorofila e oxigênio dissolvido. Parâmetros derivados das curvas fotossíntese-irradiância indicaram adaptação a baixa irradiância em todas populações, que foi caracterizada por fotoinibição, baixos valores de Ik e Ic e altos valores de a. Dados de ambas técnicas revelaram diferenças significativas entre populações e fases para a maioria dos parâmetros. A fotossíntese também respondeu diferentemente a variações de temperatura em cada população, com taxas semelhantes sob ampla faixa de temperatura. Nenhum padrão consistente foi encontrado quando a mesma população ou fase foi testada, sugerindo alta capacidade para ajustar o aparato fotossintético a distintas condições de temperatura e irradiância. Experimentos de pH mostraram tendência decrescente sob pH mais alto ou taxas maiores em pH 6,5 sugerindo, respectivamente, maior afinidade por carbono inorgânico como CO2 ou uso indistinto de bicarbonato e CO2. O padrão de variação diurna observado concorda com o de macroalgas marinhas e algumas rodófitas continentais, consistindo de dois picos: o primeiro (geralmente maior) durante a manhã e o segundo (tipicamente menor) à tarde. As características fotossintéticas de B. delicatulum (Skuja) Necchi & Entwislemostraram amplas respostas à irradiância, temperatura e pH/carbono inorgânico, refletindo sua ampla tolerância à estas variáveis, que provavelmente contribui para sua ampla distribuição espacial e temporal.Six populations of the freshwater red alga Batrachospermum delicatulum (Skuja) Necchi & Entwisle, including gametophyte and 'Chantransia' stage, were analysed in culture and natural conditions applying chlorophyll fluorescence and oxygen evolution. Parameters derived from the photosynthesis-irradiance curves indicated adaptation to low irradiance for all populations, which was characterized by photoinhibition, low values of Ik and Ic and high values of a. Data from both techniques revealed significant differences among populations and phases for most photosynthetic parameters. Similarly, photosynthesis responded differently to variations in temperature in each population with similar rates under a wide range of temperature. No consistent pattern was found when the same population or phase was tested, suggesting high capacity to adjust the photosynthetic apparatus to distinct conditions of irradiance and temperature. pH experiments showed a decreasing trend towards higher pH or higher rates at pH 6.5, suggesting, respectively, higher affinity to inorganic carbon as CO2 or indistinct use of bicarbonate and CO2. The diurnal pattern of photosynthesis essentially agree with that for seaweeds and freshwater red algae, consisting of two peaks: a first (generally higher) during the morning and a second (typically lower) in the afternoon. Photosynthetic characteristics of B. delicatulum (Skuja) Necchi & Entwisleexhibited a wide range of responses to irradiance, temperature and pH/inorganic carbon, reflecting its wide tolerance to these variables, which probably contributes to its wide spatial and temporal distribution.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq

Photoacclimation in three species of freshwater red algae

Three freshwater Rhodophyta species (Audouinella eugenea, A. hermannii and Compsopogon coeruleus) were tested as to their responses (photosynthesis, growth and pigment concentration) to two irradiances (low light, LL, 65 μmol m -2 s-1 and high light, HL, 300 μmol m-2 s-1) and two periods (short time, ST, 4 d, and long time, LT, 28 d). Higher growth rates were consistently observed at LL but significant differences were observed only for A. hermannii. Higher values of photoinhibition at LL were found for the three species, which is consistent with the dynamic photoinhibition as a reversible photoprotective mechanism against high irradiance. Light-induced decreases of effective quantum yield (EQY) were observed in the three species consisting of pronounced decreases from LL to HL. Rapid increases of non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) were observed mainly at LL, indicating energy dissipation by reaction centers. Results revealed distinct photoacclimation strategies to deal with high irradiances: the two Audouinella species had only characteristics of shade-adapted algae: acclimation by changes of size of photosy stem units (PSU) under LT and by PSU number under ST; higher values of the photoinhibition parameter (β) and NPQ, and lower values of EQY at LL; higher recovery capacity of potential quantum yield (PQY) at LL and under ST; highly significant positive correlation of electron transport rate (ETR) with NPQ. In addition, C. coeruleus mixed some characteristics of sun-adapted algae: acclimation by changes of PSU number under LT and by PSU size under ST; higher recovery capacity of EQY than the other two species; weak or no correlation of ETR with NPQ. Thus, these characteristics indicate that C. coeruleus cope with high irradiances more efficiently than the Audouinella species

Phylogeography of the freshwater red alga Sirodotia (Batrachospermales, Rhodophyta) in Brazil

Considering the lack of knowledge on genetic variation on members of the freshwater red algal of the order Batrachospermales in tropical regions, phylogeographic patterns in Sirodotia populations were investigate dusing two mitochondrial regions: the cox2-3 spacer and partial cox1 gene (barcode). Individuals identified as Sirodotia delicatula were analyzed from 14 stream segments across its distribution in Brazil. Phylogenetic analyses based on the ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase large sub-unit gene showed three clades, one representing S. delicatula, from alllocations in southeastern Brazil and other regions from Brazil. The remaining samples formed two clades, which were highly divergent and distantly positioned from those of S. delicatula: 2.5–2.7% and 3.4–3.7%. This level of variation would warrant the species split of these taxa from mid-western Brazil. A total of eight cox2-3 spacer and nine cox1 haplotypes were observed among the 122 individuals studied. One location had two cox2-3 haplotypes and three locations had two cox1 haplotypes; all others had a single dominant haplotype each. The existence of high intraspecific genetic variation among individuals of distinct locations (several haplotypes), but little variation within a location seems to be a pattern for the Batrachospermales. Haplotype networks showed low variation among the haplotypes from southeastern Brazil (10 locations with divergence of 0.3–1.1% for cox2-3, 0.1–0.3% for cox1) and high variation among the haplotypes from the mid-west region (four locations, 4.0–9.3% for cox2-3, 6.2–8.4% for cox1). Thus, the present data clearly suggest the existence of cryptic species in Sirodotia in Brazil.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq

Ecology and morphological characterization of gametophyte and 'Chantransia' stages of Sirodotia huillensis (Batrachospermales, Rhodophyta) from a stream in central Mexico

The morphology and phenology of Sirodotia huillensis was evaluated seasonally in a central Mexican first-order calcareous stream. Water temperature was constant (24-25°C) and pH circumneutral to alkaline (6.7-7.9), and calcium and sulfates were the dominant ions. The gametophyte stages were characterized by the presence of a distinctive mucilaginous layer, a marked difference in phycocyanin to phycoerythrin ratio between female and male plants, and the presence of a carpogonia with a large trichogyne (>60 μm). Occasionally three capogonia were observed on a single basal cell. The 'Chantransia' stages were morphologically similar to those described for the other members of Batrachospermales. A remarkable observation was the formation of dome-shaped structures, consisting of prostrate filaments that are related with the development of new gametophytes. Chromosome numbers were n = 4 for fascicle cells, cortical filament cells and dome-shaped cells, and 2n = 8 for gonimoblast filament cells and 'Chantransia' stage filaments. Gametophytes and 'Chantransia' stages occurred in fast current velocities (60-170 cm/s) and shaded (33.1-121 μmol photons/m2/s) stream segments. The population fluctuated throughout the study period in terms of percentage cover and frequency: the 'Chantransia' stages were most abundant in the rainy season, whereas gametophytic plants had the highest frequency values during the dry season. These results were most likely a result of fluctuations in rainfall and related changes in current velocity. Some characteristics of this population can be viewed as probable adaptations to high current velocities: the mucilaginous layer around plants that reduces drag; potential increase in fertilization by the elongate and plentiful trichogynes and abundant dome-shaped structures producing several gametophytes

Distribution and systematics of the freshwater genus Sirodotia (Batrachospermales, Rhodophyta) in North America

Multivariate morphometrics and image analysis were used to determine the number of well-delineated infrageneric taxa of Sirodotia in North America. Three groupings were distinguished from 25 populations examined from Newfoundland and Quebec in the north to central Mexico in the south. These groupings were statistically related to 10 type specimens, and the following species were recognized: Sirodotia huillensis (Welwitsch ex W. et G. S. West) Skuja (syn. S. ateleia Skuja), S. suecica Kylin (syn. S. acuminata Skuja ex Flint and S. fennica Skuja), and S. tenuissima (Collins) Skuja ex Flint. These species are differentiated on the basis of whorl shape and degree of separation at maturity (S. suecica, rounded and appressed; S. huillensis and S. tenuissima, truncated apex and separated), the density of spermatangia (S. huillensis, dense clusters, S. suecica and S. tenuissima, sparsely aggregated), and the mode of germination of the gonimoblast initial (S. suecica and S. tenuissima,from the nonprotuberant side of the fertilized carpogonium; S. huillensis from the protuberant side). Sirodotia huillensis was found only in the desert-chaparral, whereas S. suecica and S. tenuissima occurred from south-temperate to boreal regions in cool (temperature 8-18-degrees-C), low ion (specific conductance 10-99 muS.cm-1), and mildly acidic to neutral (pH 5.7-7.3) waters

Macroalgas de riachos da Floresta Nacional de Irati, região centro-sul do Estado do Paraná, Sul do Brasil Stream macroalgae of Irati National Forest, mid-southern Paraná State, Southern Brazil

Estudos florísticos das comunidades de macroalgas lóticas no Brasil são quase que exclusivamente baseadas em material do Estado de São Paulo. Informações sobre macroalgas de riachos são virtualmente ausentes no Estado do Paraná. Considerando a carência de trabalhos sobre estes importantes produtores primários de ambientes lóticos, foi realizado um estudo mais amplo, a fim de conhecer melhor a biodiversidade das comunidades de macroalgas no Paraná. Neste contexto, o presente trabalho teve como objetivo realizar o levantamento florístico das comunidades de macroalgas da Floresta Nacional de Irati (Flona de Irati), uma unidade de conservação que protege uma área de Floresta Ombrófila Mista (Mata de Araucária). Os estudos foram desenvolvidos em 11 riachos, através de duas coletas realizadas durante os períodos de 19-21 de julho/2005 e 2-4 de fevereiro/2006. Em cada riacho foi estabelecido um segmento de 10 metros de extensão, no qual foi realizado o exame visual detalhado do substrato a fim de determinar a presença de macroalgas. Além da presença das macroalgas, as seguintes variáveis ambientais foram medidas em cada data de amostragem: temperatura, turbidez, condutividade específica, pH, oxigênio dissolvido, profundidade, nutrientes, cor da água e demanda química de oxigênio (DQO). O levantamento taxonômico resultou na identificação de 23 táxons e mostrou a dominância, em termos de número de táxons, de Chlorophyta sobre as demais divisões. O gênero Phormidium Kützing ex Gomont foi o único representado por mais de uma espécie. De modo geral, a maioria das espécies encontradas na Flona de Irati tem sido reportada em estudos prévios, entretanto, uma parte significativa das macroalgas inventariadas foi formada por táxons de ocorrência rara em riachos brasileiros ou, até mesmo, prováveis novidades para a ciência.<br>Surveys of stream macroalgal communities in Brazil are almost exclusively based on data from São Paulo State. There are no extensive studies concerning stream macroalgae in Paraná state. Having in mind the scarcity of works treating these important primary producers in lotic ecosystems, a more comprehensive study was carried out in order to increase our knowledge of stream macroalgal community biodiversity in Paraná state. In this context, the main objective of this study was to do a floristic survey of stream macroalgal communities in Irati National Forest (INF), a protected area of Mixed Ombrophilous Forest (Araucaria Forest). Eleven streams were sampled in 2005 (July 19-21) and 2006 (February 2-4). In each stream, a 10-meter cross-transect was established in which a detailed visual examination took place to determine the presence of macroalgae. In addition, the following environmental variables were measured at each sampling date: temperature, specific conductance, pH, dissolved oxygen, depth, nutrients, water colour and chemical oxygen demand (COD). The floristic survey resulted in the identification of 23 taxa and showed the dominance of Chlorophyta over other algal divisions. Only the genus Phormidium Kützing ex Gomont was represented by more than one species. In general, the majority of species found at Irati National Forest have been reported in previous studies; however, a significant portion of the macroalgae was composed of taxa that rarely occur in Brazilian streams or they may be new to science