Kelp forests and barren grounds: phlorotannin production and holdfast community structure in the Aleutian dragon kelp, Eualaria fistulosa

Abstract

The canopy forming kelp Eualaria fistulosa inhabits two organizational states throughout the Aleutian archipelago, kelp forests and barren grounds. Urchin abundance and behavior determines which state dominates in any given area. Sporophyll phlorotannin content and holdfast epibiont fauna were investigated at multiple islands along the Aleutian archipelago to determine how the organizational state affects the production of secondary metabolites and the taxon richness, abundance and biomass of holdfast communities. Barren ground sporophylls had higher phlorotannin content than kelp forest sporophylls, although grazing rates on sporophylls from each state did not differ during in situ grazing experiments. The taxon richness, abundance and biomass of holdfast communities were similar between kelp forests and barren grounds at all islands, although these communities varied among islands and were mostly driven by holdfast volume. These results suggest that physical differences such as light and nutrient availability in the kelp forest structure between organizational states may be responsible for differences in phlorotannin content, but that these differences are not reflected in the holdfast community structure. It appears that barren ground holdfast communities are remnants of a once forested area.