Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the UK

Table of Contents - 2008 - Volume 88, Issue 04  

Research Article

Slow recovery from disturbance: a 20 year study of Ascophyllum canopy clearances

A. Ingólfssona1 c1 and S.J. Hawkinsa2

a1 Institute of Biology, University of Iceland, Sturlugata 7, IS-101 Reykjavík, Iceland

a2 Head of College of Natural Sciences, Memorial Building, University of Bangor, Bangor Gwynedd, LL57 2UW

Abstract

We describe an experiment where Ascophyllym nodosum was removed from two 1 x 1 m plots in south-western Iceland in August 1985. The plots were studied regularly until 2005. Recovery of the Ascophyllum canopy took 7–8 years. The understorey algae in one of the plots consisted mostly of extensive growth of Cladophora rupestris, which died within a year of Ascophyllum clearance. No Cladophora had reappeared by 2005, although it was healthy and abundant in control plots throughout the study period. Thus even after 20 years the community had not recovered from disturbance.

(Received November 29 2005)

(Accepted December 14 2007)

Keywords

Correspondence:

c1 Correspondence should be addressed to: Agnar Ingólfsson Institute of Biology University of Iceland Sturlugata 7, IS-101, Reykjavík, Iceland email: agnaring@hi.is