RT journal article
T1 Ecotype-Specific and Correlated Seasonal Responses of Biomass Production, Non-Structural Carbohydrates, and Fatty Acids in Zostera marina
A1 Beca Carretero, Pedro
A1 Marín, Clara
A1 Azcárate-García, Tomás
A1 Cara Ortega, Claudia Leticia
A1 Brun Murillo, Fernando Guillermo
A1 Stengel, Dagmar B.
A2 Biología
K1 eco-physiological tool
K1 ecological indicator
K1 fatty acids
K1 Ireland
K1 morphometric descriptors
K1 non-structural carbohydrates
K1 productivity
K1 seagrasses
K1 seasonality
AB Seagrasses, which are marine flowering plants, provide numerous ecological services and goods. Zostera marina is the most widely distributed seagrass in temperate regions of the northern hemisphere, tolerant of a wide range of environmental conditions. This study aimed to (i) examine seasonal trends and correlations between key seagrass traits such as biomass production and biochemical composition, and (ii) compare seasonal adaptation of two ecotypes of Z. marina exposed to similar environmental conditions on the west coast of Ireland. During summer, plants accumulated higher levels of energetic compounds and levels of unsaturated fatty acids (FAs) decreased. Conversely, the opposite trend was observed during colder months. These findings indicate a positive seasonal correlation between the production of non-structural carbohydrates and saturated fatty acids (SFAs), suggesting that seagrasses accumulate and utilize both energetic compounds simultaneously during favorable and unfavorable environmental conditions. The two ecotypes displayed differential seasonal responses by adjusting plant morphology and production, the utilization of energetic reserves, and modulating unsaturation levels of fatty acids in seagrass leaves. These results underscore the correlated seasonal responses of key compounds, capturing ecotype-specific environmental adaptations and ecological strategies, emphasizing the robust utility of these traits as a valuable eco-physiological tool.
PB Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI)
SN 2223-7747
YR 2024
FD 2024
LK http://hdl.handle.net/10498/32670
UL http://hdl.handle.net/10498/32670
LA eng
DS Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Cádiz
RD 11-nov-2026