Red Algae (Rhodophyta) in Biomonitoring of Coastal Ecosystems

International Journal of Environmental & Agriculture Research (IJOEAR) ISSN:[2454-1850] [Vol-3, Issue-4, April- 2017]
Page | 101
Red Algae (Rhodophyta) in Biomonitoring of Coastal Ecosystems
V.I.Kapkov1
, O.A.Belenikina2
M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
Abstract— The formation, species composition and functional role of red algae were studied in the Black Sea’s coastal
zone. In sublittoral plant communities, red algae are dominant both by their number of species in the phytocenosis and by
their active thallus - the one that ensures their high metabolism. Algae with a large specific surface area of thallus can
accumulate heavy metals in higher concentrations. In the paper, we discuss possibilities of using red algae as biomarkers of
marine pollution, and as bio filters in the processes of water natural.
Keywords— biological monitoring, biomarkers, heavy metals, red algae (Rhodophyta), sublittoral zone.
I. INTRODUCTION
Biomonitoring as a system of long-term observations and measures of control over marine environment goes down to two
key components: diagnosis and prognosis. When carrying out diagnostic monitoring, we study the "here and now" condition
of the ecosystem polluted by the most widespread and hazardous marine contaminants. At that, such monitoring is focused
both on environmental factors and on various biological responses that testify to derating of a biotic community's parameters.
Methodology that underlies prognostic monitoring is active experimenting in situ that allows us to cross-relate - within a
well-planned study - the results of forecasting environmental implications of existing impacts upon the ecosystem [8].
Recently, the use of biomarkers has taken on special significance for assessing the implications of pollutant effects upon
water ecosystems. In seashore ecosystems, algae has a leading role in autotrophic synthesis of organics, as it is precisely
algae that determine the biological efficiency level and take part in determining the quality of natural sea water. In this
connection, we see that algae's role is more than logical as monitoring indicators for seashore ecosystems pollution by the
most hazardous substances - heavy metals, i.e. pollutants that can get into sea water by many a way. Algae response to heavy
metals presence in water is very often the key informant in assessing the marine community condition, if compared to other
types of hydrobionts. [4].
It was algae that were there first indicator organisms in qualitative assessments of marine environmental conditions: presence
or absence of certain species is a testimony to the environmental status of a water basin. Algae can also be used as biological
markers of long-term toxic effects, while their response is what allows us to both forecast changes in the composition of a
biotic community and provide well-founded guidance for an active intervention by way of bioremediation and recovery of
the affected biocenotic communities before irreversible processes begin in the ecosystem that suffers from anthropogenic
impacts [6].
With this in mind, we have carried out studies aimed at providing rationale to the idea of using red algae (with different
lifecycles) as biomarkers, when doing biological monitoring of the coastal zone.
The key goal of this study was as follows: to investigate the formation of sublittoral phytocenoses and to determine the
specific surface area of red algae's thallus. Special care was taken for heavy metals distribution in the abiotic component of
the ecosystem and for accumulation of the metals in algae of the coastal zone's biocenosis. Our findings paved the way for
shaping the species composition and subsequent reconstruction of a benthic community on an artificial reef.
II. MATERIAL AND METHOD
The study was done in the littoral area of the Black Sea's north-western district, using lightweight diving equipment. Algae
samples were taken in the zone spanning from the water edge down to 30 m depths, using area frames 0.1 and 0.25 sq/m, and
differentiated by species and size; later the species abundance and dry/wet weight of each species' biomass were determined
[7 ; 5].
When determining specific thallus area of red algae, we chose 10 specimen, dissected them singling out the basal part,
medpart and apical part of each plant. Then clipping of thallus was done, their parameters measured, and subsequently
squared by known formulae [9] and using computer-aided systems of image analysis: «Image analysis system», «Video

Page | 102
TesT-Morphologia» and «MaxSoft 3.0». The weight of thallus clippings was measured on electronic scales to within 0.001 g.
The specific surface area of a plant was expressed as a thallus square per weight unit (S/W)[10].
When analyzing the epiphytic complex of diatoms, algae's thallus suspension was concentrated by filtering through
membranes, and the sediments fixed by 2.5 per cent glutaric aldehyde. The diatoms' species composition was determined in
vivo and on permanent preparations prepared in the following way. The algae were washed free of the fixative and placed on
a cover-glass with a tiny splash of Н2О2, and scorched in open flames through an asbestos blanket. The cover-glass with
plants was placed onto the object plate with Canada balsam [1].
Water samples taken by a plastic sampler were then filtered through a membrane and fixed by HNO3 up to 0.1 per cent by
volume. Extraction of metals from the water was done using a 0.01 M methylisobutyl ketone solution of in an acetyl-acetate
hexamethyl dithiocarbamate hexa methylammonium buffer at pH 6.0. Sediment samples were taken by a Teflon tube
stratameter, dried up and brought to constant weight at 105о
С. Metals from bottom sediments containing fractions of
oxidized, reduced and helate compounds were recovered by the method of sequential extraction [3].
Metal accumulation in algae thallus was determined using an atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Samples were prepared
by incineration using the «Digester system». A weighed quantity was treated by the mixture of HNO3+H2SO4+HСlO4
according to the pattern as follows: 20 minutes at 300
С, 5 hours at 750
С and 30 minutes at 1500
С. Then the samples were
filtered out and diluted to volume of 10 ml. Subsequently the solution was cooled off, рН brought to 3.0, and analyzed using
«Hitachi» and «Perkin-Elmer» equipment, relying on calibration standards CRM «Sea lettuce» [2].
Artificial reefs up to 20 sq/m were erected at depths down to 10 m, chessboard, on mud-sand bottom, no other algae around;
the structures were made of shell stone covered with a mesh.
The findings were finally processed in software packages «Microsoft Exel» and «STATISTICA 5.0 for Windows».
III. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
In the north-western area of the sea, red algae either form independent communities or belong to phytocenoses whose
edificator species may be brown or green algae. Plant formations where edificators are Cystoseira crinita (Desf.) Bory,
Phyllophora nervosa (DC) Grev. or Ulva rigida Ag. do belong to the most widespread communities in the sublittoral sea
zone.
When studying multilayer plant formations made up by brown algae C.crinita having projective cover of 80 per cent, we
identified 20 species of brown and red algae. The basic stratum of them was formed by Cystoseira crinita, in the second one
were found Ph. nervosa and Laurencia obtusa, in the third layer - Corallina mediterranea and Gelidium latifolium. Among
the aerial plants on the thallus of large algae having the biggest biomass, Ceramium rubrum, Polysiphonia subulifera and
Laurencia coronopus (Table 1) were found.
TABLE 1
ALGAE BIOMASS AND THALLUS SURFACE AREA IN PLANT FORMATION CYSTOSEIRA CRINITA
Depth,
m
Cystoseira crinita Lower layer algae Epiphytic algae
biomass,
g/m²
S
of thallus,
m²
biomass,
g/m²
S
of thallus,
m²
biomass,
g/m²
S
of thallus,
m²
1 m
3 m
5 m
7 m
9 m
1209-6920
4148±48
3950-8163
6696±71
1830-8609
5373±42
1519-2845
2322±35
712-1250
989±21
11.5-65.7
39.4
37.5-77.5
63.5
17.4-81.7
51.0
14.4-27.0
22.0
6.8-11.8
9.3
754-1753
1364±21
609-3102
1433±18
330-1085
809±15
165-1400
799±17
500-1480
835±17
7.5-45.5
25.4
35.2-136.9
57.4
12.8-54.1
24.5
7.9-10.3
9.1
8.3-14.3
9.9
0-311
169±10
205-2032
1194±21
165-3109
1709±24
129-4211
2214±30
115-1552
867±17
0-31.8
15.9
16.0-30.6
40.0
13.1-77.3
47.9
11.7-81.5
49.2
11.7-64.6
38.8

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In another multi-layer phytocenosis growing on a stony substrate at the depth of 10 m, red algae were also dominant. The
upper level with projective cover of < 20 per cent was formed by C.crinita; at the same time the basis of the plant formation
was made up by perennial photophilous red sea-grass: Ph.nervosa, G.latifolium, Laurencia pinnatifida. In the composition
of the phytocenosis, we found certain forms of sciaphilic red algae Apoglossum ruscifolium and Polysiphonia elongata, along
with filiform and lamellate epiphytic red algae growing on Cystoseira and Phyllophora, including Rhodochorton purpureum.
In a two-layer phytocenosis (3 m deep) with green algae Ulva rigida as edificator, red algae also occupied over 70 per cent of
the formation, many of them (Callithamnion corymbosum, C.rubrum, P.subulifera, Ph.nervosa) having 100 per cent
occurrence.
The specific thallus area (S/W) of algae is a very important indicator that determines the level and rate of metabolism in
aquatic organisms. With very few exceptions, perennial species-edificators had relatively small specific thallus area:
Cystoseira crinita – 95 cm2
/g, Phyllophora nervosa – 136 cm2
/g, Ulva rigida – 355 cm2
/g. At the same time, seasonal and
annual algae usually had a slightly higher thallus S/W. Among perennial algae, certain sciaphilic forms and organisms living
in the lower sublittoral (A. ruscifolium, Gracilaria verrucosa, Gelidium crinale) also had a larger thallus area (Table 2).
TABLE 2
SPECIFIC THALLUS AREA OF DOMINANT RED ALGAE SPECIES IN THE BLACK SEA (cm2
/g)
Algae species Specific surface area sm²/g
Apoglossum ruscifolium (Turn.) J. Ag. 630±39
Callithamnion corymbosum (J.E.Smith) Lyngb. 1815±123
Ceramium ciliatum (Ell.) Ducl. 321±24
Ceramium rubrum (Huds.) Ag. 262±10
Ceramium strictum Grev. et Harv. 418±33
Chondria tenuissima (Good et Wood) Ag. 259±16
Corallina mediterranea Aresch. 667±50
Corallina officinalis L. 429±43
Gelidium crinale (Turn.) Lamour. 712±58
Gelidium latifolium (Grev.) Born. et Thur. 171±39
Gracilaria verrucosa (Huds.) Papenf. 606±64
Laurencia coronopus J. Ag. 68±7
Laurencia obtusa (Huds.) Lamour. 66±10
Phyllophora nervosa (DC.) Grev. 136±14
Polysiphonia denudata (Dillw.) Kütz. 598±47
Polysiphonia elongata (Huds.) Harv. 405±27
Polysiphonia subulifera Harv. 273±12
It was established that the surface area of algae populations in phytocenoses undergoes significant change in different
seasons subject to the vegetation depth. Maximum values of thallus surface in sublittoral plant formations are characteristic
of late summer when the weight of summer and annual algae reaches its top.
Thus, in plant formations of the investigated sea area, by range of species - and in deeper waters also by biomass - prevailing
are red algae with divided and filiform thallus that are structural and functional dominants in these plant communities.
When determining heavy metal contents in water and in bottom sediments in the area, we found that heavy metal
concentrations in the abiotic substance are by and large typical for slightly polluted sea zones. The content of dissolved metal
forms in water was slightly above the average concentrations in coastal waters. In bottom sediments, metal concentrations
were by a huge ratio higher than in water per se. At that, about half the metals found in the sediments were bound in strong
complexes that can be extracted only by an EDTA solution and, apparently, were not available to many an osmotrophic
aquatic organism. At the same time, the oxidized and reduced metal forms we revealed can travel to the environment thus
enriching bottom waters. It was found out that metal concentrations in water vs. sediments are slightly different, including
such pairs of elements close to each other in their chemistry as Zn: Cu and Zn : Cd, which is a sign that some biological way
may exist of removing them from the solution, since high metal concentrations in bottom sediments can be hardly accounted
for solely by absorption processes (Table 3).

Page | 104
TABLE 3
HEAVY METAL CONTENT IN WATER AND BOTTOM SEDIMENTS
Metal Water, μg /l
Bottom sediments, μg /g of
dry weight
Metal content in bottom sediment
fractions, %
I II III
Cu
Zn
Cd
Ni
Pb
4.9±0.8
15.4±3.0
0.7±0.2
3.4±0.4
1.9±0.3
35.5±7.2
33.8±4.6
3.2±0.5
24.8±5.6
9.4±2.3
46.0
45.2
41.2
42.9
40.1
14.6
-*
-*
13.4
12.4
39.4
54.8
58.8
43.7
47.5
Note: -*- not found F I – extraction: 25% NH3
OНСI + 35% CH3COOH
F II- extraction 30% H2O2, F III – extraction 0.1 M EDTA at 700
С
Analysis of algae belonging to different taxonomic ranks in a plant community revealed differences in heavy metal content:
red algae generally accumulate more Zn, Cu, Ni, Cd and Pb than brown and green algae. At that, metal content differences
were revealed not only between different algae groups, but also orders, families and geni. Thus, the content of some metals in
algae tissue cells of genus Laurencia (L. coronopus, L.obtusa) sampled for analysis in one of the bays differed considerably.
A similar way of accumulating certain heavy metals was also observed in algae having a thallus surface area close to the
specific one.
Analysis of the dynamic pattern of some heavy metals content in water and algae showed that high concentrations of copper,
cadmium and lead in water do not always go hand in hand with maximum accumulation of these in algae's thallus. It seems
to be obvious that in the absence of local pollution, algae preferentially accumulate the metals that are necessary for their
metabolism. The top content of copper in algae was observed in April and September, whereas that in water occurred in July
and November. The content of cadmium in algae thallus went up during summer time and considerably dropped in autumn.
Maximum content of lead in algae fell on June-July when the man-induced impact of transportation in coastal ecosystems
goes up radically.
Of agar-producing algae (Ph.nervosa, G.verrucosa , G.latifolium) sampled for analysis in different areas, it is characteristic
to have a rise in metal content from January till September [2]. A similar pattern in metal accumulation is characteristic of
red algae of the genus Polysiphonia (P.sanguinea и P.subulifera): during the period from April till September the rate of
metals in thallus tissues perceptibly increased. To theses algae is an also peculiar species difference in metal accumulation,
which is first and foremost associated with their formation: the specific thallus surface area of P.sanguinea is considerably
larger than that of P.subulifera.
On the basis of measurements concerning metal content in algae, we could identify species with similar patterns of metal
bioaccumulation - of the metals belonging to a high-priority list of potentially hazardous chemical substances. Relying on
cluster analysis, we can count the following species as similar in metal accumulation: C.corymbosum, C.strictum,
P.sanguinea and Gelidium crinale. At that, to the same cluster belong the algae having highly divided thallus, i.e. the ones
with large specific surface area of thallus and S/W ratio. At the same time, mineral composition of the algae varied in quite a
wide range: ash content of the dry weight made up from 17.9% in G.latifolium and 24.6% in C.strictum to 80.7% in C.
mediterranea (Table 4).

Page | 105
TABLE 4
HEAVY METALS IN THE THALLUS OF DOMINANT RED ALGAE SPECIES
Algae Zn Cu Ni Cd Pb
Ceramium corymbosum 83.4±12.0 27.0±3.3 19.3±2.6 3.4±0.7 4.9±1.3
Ceramium rubrum 66.5±11.6 19.4±2.0 8.3±1.5 2.2±0.3 3.8±0.5
Ceramium strictum 77.8±7.0 18.8±2.9 13.6±1.2 2.6±0.5 5.8±1.0
Gelidium crinale 73.3±10.2 23.5±1.7 17.1±1.4 2.9±0.4 4.0±0.6
Gelidium latifolium 58.1±9.6 15.0±1.8 10.1±1.0 2.0±0.5 6.1±1.9
Gracilaria verrucosa 83.4±8.2 11.5±2.1 7.7±1.8 1.9±0.3 2.3±0.6
Laurencia coronopus 27.6±2.0 7.8±1.3 6.9±1.2 1.8±0.4 2.6±0.3
Laurencia obtusa 16.6±1.9 5.9±1.2 5.6±1.0 1.3±0.3 2.0±0.4
Polysiphonia elongata 60.8±8.1 20.1±3.0 18.8±3.1 3.1±0.6 3.0±0.4
Polysiphonia sanguinea 75.8±3.9 25.8±2.3 26.3±3.0 4.7±0.3 3.5±0.8
Polysiphonia subulifera 53.7±5.0 18.7±2.0 8.3±1.6 0.9±0.2 2.2±0.4
Phyllophora nervosa 63.2±8.2 21.4±7.0 19.2±3.9 1.9±0.3 3.0±1.0
Cystoseira crinita 50.0±6.3 11.9±1.5 3.3±0.5 1.1±0.2 1.7±0.3
Ulva rigida 61.8±6.9 12.6±1.9 4.1±0.8 1.2±0.2 1.0±0.2
IV. CONCLUSION
The established facts about metal accumulation in sea grass - linked to thallus formation, along with species- and
environmentally specific peculiarities of the latter - turn out to be determinative for choosing monitor plants in different
taxons and ecological groups in the context of sea ecosystems pollution. This is particularly important for coastal ecosystems
that are most susceptible to human impact.
In the sublittoral zone of the sea, red algae belonging to various bottom plant formations play the role of functional
dominating species of the biocenosis. High biodiversity of red algae occupying different biotopes in the coastal area is what
allows us to use them as indicator/monitor/biomarker-plants when assessing the ecological state of the community when
water is contaminated by most dangerous substances. Red algae with a large specific surface area of thallus are capable of
accumulating high concentrations of hazardous pollutants including heavy metals. It is exactly this peculiarity that allows to
successfully use the algae - along with other types of sea organisms - in bio-filters involved in the processes of self-
purification of natural water, relying at that both on the group-specific and selective pattern of heavy metal accumulation [6].
The above statement is based on the following established facts: First, algae provide us with a comprehensive picture of the
ecosystem state, which is particularly important when the latter's pollution demonstrates a discreet pattern. Second, algae
have an explicit capability of accumulating heavy metals, which both contributes to the accuracy of chemical examinations
and indicates that bio-available forms of the former are present in the environment. Third, using algae as monitor plants
opens up a promising perspective for developing practical guidance on how to remove heavy metals from polluted water
basins via the use of bio-filters implanted in artificial reefs.
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